That's Where You Find Love
by Dee Bunny
Summary: Shonen-Ai. Rated for mild cursing used by Bakura, some violence, and heavey makeout scenes still appropriate enough to be shonen-ai. No Tea bashing. Somewhat a musical.
1. Chapter 1

That's Where You Find Love

Categories: Romance, General

Rating: T for mild cursing used by Bakura, some violence, and heavy makeout scenes that are still appropriate enough to be Shonen- Ai

Pairings: Yami X Yugi, Seto X Joey X Mai love triangle, Tea X Duke, Serenity X Tristan, Ryou X Bakura, Marik X Malik, One-sided OC Stalker X Yugi

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-gi-oh. If I did, Yami/Atem, Yugi, Joey, Ryou Bakura, and good Marik would all be members of my male harem. I don't own the songs I will be using in this fanfic either.

Notes: In this fanfic there is absolutely no Tea bashing. I do not advocate any sort of character bashing whatsoever. I would make an exception for Seto Kiba but I don't hate him enough. I will also be calling Yami Bakura just Bakura and Ryou Bakura just Ryou just to eliminate confusion. This fanfic will be somewhat considered a musical.

Chapter 1: The Lonely Egyptian

Domino was a city in the middle of Japan and it came with the usual hustle and bustle of a big city. But it was surrounded by a wide group of forest especially around Domino Local Park. It was in these particular woods where the story starts and in the heart of the woods was a large black and crimson hued mansion. It was the residence of the young millionaire Yami Atem who was also the cousin of equally young millionaire Seto Kiba. He was a handsome and charming young man of Egyptian origin with wild tri-colored hair, fair skin that had a slight tan to it, sharp ruby eyes that held a look as if he was looking into one's soul, and a deep voice that held wisdom that would be considered to be years past his age. His preferred clothing was ensembles of leather which showed off his lean but healthy body figure. His looks along with his charming mannerisms and large fortune were the reasons why many women of every size and age fell for him. But truth to be told he didn't fall in love with any of the women he met because he knew they only loved him for his appearance, his money, and who they thought he was. He was bisexual so it was fairly simple for him to pick any person he wanted, male or female, to be his significant other but men he met who shared his orientation also only loved him for the exact same reasons that women loved him. He now sat at his piano in his music room feeling depressed and was just about to play the piano when there was a knock at the door.

"Come in," he said in the direction of the door. An Egyptian woman who looked to be in her mid to late twenties with long black hair wearing a long white dress and a strange necklace around her neck entered through the door.

"I figured you would be here, sir. You always come in here whenever you want to be alone and are in deep thought," the woman said with a smile as she pulled a chair up next the piano.

"You never miss a beat, Ishizu," Yami said to the woman with a smile on his face. Ishizu was a great friend and confidante to him for she had served under his father and stayed with Yami after he inherited his father's fortune. She was one of the few women who knew him for who he really was but she treated him as more of a brother than a love interest which was fine by him.

"I know you too well, Yami. I also know what has started to afflict you these past after your eighteenth birthday three months age," Ishizu said as she looked at her young master.

"And what would that be?" he said as he raised an eyebrow.

"You're lonely," she said with a sympathetic look on her face as she put a comforting hand on his arm.

"Why would I be lonely? I have you, Tea, Duke, Mai, Bakura, Tristan, Malik, and Marik to keep me company and Seto and Mokuba visit me whenever they can."

"I'm speaking of the loneliness that comes from not having someone to love in a romantic sense," she said as she tightened her grip on her brother- figure's arm.

"If that is what you speak of, then yes, I am lonely," he said with a sigh as he gave a sigh and rose to pace around the room, "It's just so hard to find someone who'll actually love me for me. Someone who'll love me not because of my fortune, my looks, or who they think I am, but because they can see the real me and love me for that."

"I understand," she said as she went over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder reassuringly.

"Plus, like other people, I have a list of things I want in my perfect person," he said as he once again sat at the piano.

"I would like to hear," Ishizu said as she sat back in her original seat.

"Don't you have work you need to do?" Yami said with a smirk on his face but he was really nervous about Ishizu asking him what his dream person would be like.

"I have time," she pressed on.

"Very well. My ideal person has to be kind, sweet, nonjudgmental and innocent but they would still recognize the hard truths of life, loving, compassionate, selfless…"

"That's quite the description," Ishizu said as she rose to do her work.

"Yes but I don't think I'll ever find them," Yami said with a sigh as he pushed a few keys on the piano. Ishizu opened the door to leave but before she stepped out, she smiled and stroked her necklace.

"You will find your true love, Yami," she said with the smile still plastered on her face as she stroked her necklace, "I know you will." With that said Ishisu left the room and left Yami with his own smile along with new found hope. He felt new hope rise within him because he knew that whenever Ishizu said that something was going to happen before it would ever happen, it always did.

**Dee Bunny: Hope everyone liked the first chapter. Please, review. =)**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The Little Outcast

While this went on, something else went on at Domino High School near the center of town. It was the school where one little Yugi Moto attended. Yugi had an absolutely wonderful personality and was extremely cute for a sixteen year old boy. He had big amethyst eyes that were soft and understanding, wild tri-colored hair that was slightly different from Yami's, fair skin that looked so soft it tempted people to really see if it felt as soft as it look, an angelic voice that could coax people into doing anything he wanted them to do, and had a wonderful body figure. He was sweet, understanding, innocent looking but he knew that the world had problems, and never judged anyone by how they looked or by what rumors said about them. His only problem was that he was vertically challenged in the fact that he looked to be only four feet ten inches tall and his innocent personality and looks often made him the target for bullying. In fact, only four people in the school that liked Yugi and were friends with him except for one of the four.

"Hey, Yug," a voice called to Yugi as he sat on the ground outside to eat his lunch in an area far away from any of the bullies that tormented him. He looked up from his lunch at his only three friends in the entire school.

"Hi, guys," he said with a smile as they sat down next to him.

"Where have ya been, Yug? We were looking all over for ya," Joey said as he leaned his head against a tree behind him and put his hands behind his head trying to look cool. Joey Wheeler was an outcast like Yugi and was his best friend and despite his hotheaded and street punk attitude, Joey was an all around good guy who was often the one to protect any of his friends, especially Yugi, from anyone who was bothering them. He had brown puppy dog eyes and a halo of sunshine gold hair with a personality that was sweet and funny but often got him into trouble as well.

"I've been trying to avoid my tormentors and one certain stalker," he said with a sigh and a shake of his head.

Leo Madison was a new guy at school who was six feet tall with emerald green eyes and very long black hair that was kept back in a hair band who everyone knew had a huge crush on Yugi based on rumors and common knowledge. None of them, except Yugi and his friends, knew that Leo was actually a stalker, predator just like his name implied. (**Dee Bunny:** His first name is Leo which means "lion", you get it?)

He followed Yugi to all of his classes before Leo went to his, he sat behind Yugi in History and just stared at the back of his head as he wrote Yugi's name over a hundred times on all of his notebook pages, he drew pictures of Yugi that were masterful and realistic but creepy, he had photos of him all over the inside of his locker, he wrote Yugi love poems and love letters that he got on his desk or in his locker or even at home in the mail, and Serenity, who went to Leo's house for a partner project once said that when Leo went to the bathroom during their project, she smelled something coming from his closet and when she looked inside she saw a candlelit shrine dedicated to Yugi in the very back of his closet.

"Yeah, I wish he didn't like you that way. I can just tell that he has the potential to go too far if someone or something gets in his way of you. I hope he stops soon before you get hurt," Serenity said to him as she took a bite of her lunch. Serenity was Joey's sister with a waterfall of chocolate brown hair and sparkling blue eyes. She was very kind, smart, levelheaded, and social but was considered an outcast by association because she was friends with Yugi and was Joey's younger sister.

"I hope so too," Ryou added in with sympathy and concern. Ryou had snow white hair and brown eyes that were soft, compassionate, and sympathetic. He had a good wine glass body figure and a good personality to match along with a soft voice with a British accent. He was also an outcast though because he was shy and never really talked to anyone he wasn't friends with or didn't know.

"I thank you guys for the support, "Yugi said with a small smile.

"But even so, are you ever gonna get a lover, Yug?" Joey asked as he raised an eyebrow and formed a smirk on his face.

"I've told you, Joey, I'm waiting for the right one," Yugi said with a hint of annoyance but great patience in his voice that revealed that it wasn't the first time Joey asked this particular question. Before Joey could respond the bell rang and they all packed up to go inside. When Yugi got the rest of his books from his locker he heard an all too familiar voice from behind.

"Hey, Yugi." He froze and as he painted a look of indifference on his face he turned around. He gave a slight jump when he saw Leo standing right behind him with a wide smile onhis face.

"Hello, Leo," Yugi said as he tried to walk towards his Literature class but Leo blocked him.

"You'll never guess what happened to me this afternoon," Leo said as he tried to prevent Yugi from getting to his class a little bit longer to give him the news.

"You're right, I can't," Yugi said as he breathed to try and keep calm. He was actually an extremely patient person due to the influences of his mother and grandfather but when it came to Leo/ anyone else who was in his way of getting to class in a hurry, he found it hard to remain in control of his anger. He was eventually able to walk around Leo and head towards his next class.

"I made the baseball team," Leo said catching up to Yugi and walking with him.

"That's great, Leo," he answered back not really paying attention.

"I was going to ask you if you would like to come to any of my practices and/or games. We have practices after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays and games are on Saturdays. I'm sure my coach wouldn't mind if you came to any of the practices," Leo said as he rubbed the back of his neck with a blush on his face which faltered when Yugi responded.

"I'm sorry, Leo, but I help out my grandfather in the shop all week, I go with my mom to the community center on Thursday nights to help kids learn how to play Duel Monsters, and on Saturday nights I always go out with my friends. I can't make it to any of your practices or games at all, so I'm sorry," Yugi said as he finally pulled himself into his Lit class just before the bell rang and leaving Leo out to dry.

***

Yugi sighed as he walked home from school. It was pretty much the same as it always was including how a bunch of bullies ganged up on him and Serenity. They picked him because he was the intended target and Serenity because she came to his defense. Joey came to beat the hell out of them for what they were doing to his best friend and little sister which got him and the bullies sent to the principal's office. He loved his friends very much and wished that they didn't have to go through so much for him. He only wished that things would get better for his friends. He could deal with the way his life was but he wished for his friends lives to get better.

Joey and Serenity's parents were divorced and they had a hard time seeing each other outside of school for the fact that their parents never talked much so they couldn't arrange for times when they could see each other and Ryou's parents had to travel for both of their jobs so he never saw them much and was often alone at home. Yugi only wish for his friends' lives to get better and then he would be happy. He didn't care if his life got worse, he would still be happy if his friends were happy.

Yugi decided to make one last stop before he went home and stopped right outside a church. He took a deep breath and walked inside. He knew this church well because he often passed it every time he went home and he sometimes went inside with his mom or grandfather. He looked inside at the few people who were kneeling in their pews as they prayed for varieties of reasons. Yugi stopped in front of the alter and slipped his backpack off of his shoulders as he made the sign of the cross and kneeled in front of the alter to pray. He looked towards the alter as he prayed and saw a statue of a grown Jesus Christ with his mother, Mary.

_**I don't know if you can hear me**_

_**Or if your even there**_

_**I don't know if you would listen**_

_**To a humble prayer**_

_**Yes, I know I'm just an outcast**_

_**I shouldn't speak to you**_

_**Still, I look upon your face and wonder**_

_**Were you once an outcast too?**_

Yugi closed his eyes and prayed as hard as he could as he thought only of his friends and how he wished they could be happy.

_**God help the outcasts**_

_**Hungry for birth**_

_**Show them the mercy**_

_**They don't find on earth**_

_**God help my people**_

_**They look to you still**_

_**God help the outcasts when nobody will**_

He kneeled there as he continued to pray and as he did he sighed at hearing the selfish prayers everyone else in the church made.

_**I ask for wealth, I ask for fame**_

_**I ask for glory to sign on my name**_

A woman came up next to him and made her prayer which was also more like a wish.

_**I ask for love, I might possess**_

_**I ask for God that He may bless me**_

Yugi gave another sigh and made the sign of the cross again. He grabbed his backpack and looked at the alter as he walked backwards a few steps towards the front doors from which he entered.

_**I ask for nothing, I can get by**_

_**But I know so many less lucky than I**_

_**God help my people**_

_**The poor and downtrod**_

_**I thought we all were but children of God**_

_**God help the outcast**_

_**Children of God**_

He unknowingly walked into a reflection of a stained glass window on the church floor and in the dark candlelit church, the reflection highlight his features and made them look more angelic than ever before. Only one person in the church noticed though, and she gave a smile as she stroked her necklace.

**Dee Bunny: Here's the second chap. Please review, my people. ;)**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: A Little Bird Told Me

"I'm home," Yugi said as he arrived at the top floor of the Kame Game Shop where he lived.

"Hello, Yugi. I was wondering when you'd get home," his grandfather, Solomon, said from the living room table, "How was school?"

"Uneventful as usual," Yugi said as he removed his shoes and walked towards his bedroom. He opened the door to his game and puzzle filled bedroom and dropped his backpack to the floor next to his desk. He then walked over to the corner of the room next to the head of his bed with a cloth covered object in that little corner. He smiled as he slowly removed the cloth to reveal a white bird cage with a little yellow bird resting inside of it. The little creature shook and ruffled its feathers up a little as it woke up.

"Hey Margalo, how's my little girl?" Yugi whispered to the little bird with a smile. The bird chirped happily at seeing her angelic owner's face and hearing his voice.

Margalo was a very pretty little bird that was one hundred percent canary but no one would buy her from the pet store she came from for one specific reason. Even though Margalo was a pure bred canary, she had a big splotch of light brown feathers right across her breast which was an unusual and extremely rare characteristic for the popular breed of pet birds. It was because of this unusual mark that no one would buy the little bird until Serenity went in to buy a gift for Yugi's fifteenth birthday. She looked at all the pets in the entire store but felt that none of them would be perfect for Yugi until she laid her eyes on little Margalo. She saw Margalo and knew that she was the perfect pet for Yugi and the mark that was never found in her species of the light brown feathers only gave her further reason to buy Margalo. She figured that since Yugi himself was a little different from his own species, they would be able to connect on that level and form a life long bond with each other.

When Yugi's birthday did come around, Serenity's gift was the last he opened. He opened the little box and gave a gasp of delight when he saw the little creature looking back at him. The little bird looked at him for a few minutes before giving a chirp of delight and hopped out of the box. She flew up onto Yugi's head and nestled herself in his wild mop of hair. Everyone laughed at the little bird's action and joked that Margalo didn't need a cage because she already had a nest to settle in. Yugi gently removed her from his hair and took her in his hands. He smiled at her and placed a little peck on the top of her head and said that her name was Margalo after the bird from _Stuart Little._ After that the two became birds of a feather (**Dee Bunny: **No pun intended here, people)

Yugi went to open her cage but noticed that the latch on her door was broken. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot that Joey accidently broke the latch to your cage yesterday," Yugi said as he opened the little door, placed a finger inside, and allowed Margalo to perch onto it. He slowly pulled his hand and Margalo out of the cage and gently stroked her with his index finger on his other hand, "I'll have to see if I can take your cage to a locksmith to have it fixed but until then you can stay out of your cage." He carried the little bird with him to his desk and set her down there as he took his homework out of his bag, "And who knows? You could be a big help with my Algebra homework. Right, girl?" he said with a small chuckle.

Oddly enough, Margalo was a help to Yugi when it came to all his homework, not just his Algebra. She would notice whenever Yugi was having problems with finding an answer, hop on the book, and peck on a certain page. When he flipped to that page, there would be the answer staring him right in the face. After she helped him with a history question, he looked at her wide eyed.

"You never cease to amaze me," he said shaking his head. Margalo just looked at him and ruffled up her feathers proudly. He heard yelling outside and opened the window to see Joey fighting with Leo, saying that Yugi wasn't home. He ducked under the window quickly so that Leo wouldn't see him and call Joey out on his bluff. He saw Margalo spread her wings as if stretching but then took to the air.

"Margalo, no!" he whispered. He didn't dare get up though he kept a weary eye on Margalo. "NO!" he shout-whispered as she flew out above his head. "Margalo, get back here!" He sighed as he watched her fly away. He'd keep the window open knowing she might fly back, but he wasn't going to wait. He snuck out the back way after explaining to Grandpa where he was going.

Hey, at least what Joey was telling Leo wouldn't be a lie anymore.

***

Yami sighed before shouting to Ishizu, "I'm going for a walk!" Ishizu smiled as she stroked her necklace again.

"Take your time, sir," she said grinning.

"Sometimes it scares me when that woman knows more than she lets on," he said with a shudder. He quietly closed the door and wandered further away from the mansion than he usually did, almost near the forest's edge. He jumped in surprise when something nestled into his hair. He looked up in surprise to see a bird in his hair. He put up his hand with his finger out and the bird stared at it before hopping onto his finger.

"Where'd you come from, little one?" he asked curiously. He noticed the bird was a canary but then he noticed the brown splotch on the bird's breast. "Well, aren't you just the unusual bird? Your owner must be worried about you." He heard shouting in the distance wandered closer to the entrance of the forest to see what seemed to be a younger version of him screaming for a 'Margalo.' The bird tilted its head and Yami caught on.

"He's your owner huh? Your name's Margalo?" The little bird looked at him as if examining his voice before gaining a confused look on its face. Yami's voice was much deeper and rougher than Yugi's was yet it still had the same calming tone his did. But what was really confusing was that they looked so much alike and out of all of the people she knew, the wild spiked hair only belonged to her owner and to none other. She knew that hair style better than anything yet she somehow confused this person with him. It didn't make any sense to the little canary.

"Margalo! Marg…" Yugi said but paused when he saw Yami holding his little runaway. "Margalo!" He ran towards the pair and held out his hands. The tiny yellow bird flew to them and landed as she looked and gave a chirp of happy realization at seeing her true owner. Yugi raised his hands to his hair and let the little bird nest herself in the wild mess. He looked at the stranger who looked so much like him and smiled.

"Thank you so much. How did you find her?" Yugi said with a smile at his look-a-like. Yami smiled back before he answered.

"Actually, she found me. I was just walking away from home when this little one…" he explained as he reached out towards Yugi's hair and stroked Margalo gently, "landed on my head. I think she may have confused me with you."

"Yeah, Margalo always likes to use my hair as a nest of sorts for her own comfort. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if she laid eggs in my hair one of these days," Yugi joked which caused both him and the stranger to laugh.

"I get the feeling you may be right, little one. I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Yami Atem," he said as he held out his hand.

"My name's Yugi Moto. It's nice to finally meet you," Yugi said as he shook his hand. Yami was shocked by two things; one: that this boy, Yugi, knew him and two: He felt sparks of static travel up his arm as he shook his hand.

"What do you mean by 'finally'?" he asked as he reluctantly took his hand away.

"I know your cousins, Seto and Mokuba Kiba. Seto and I are in the same class and we talk from time to time but the only real reason he hangs around me is because he lusts over my best friend," he said as he rubbed the back of his neck, "Also, unlike most people my age, I read the newspaper."

"I see," he said with a soft look crossing his features as he looked at the young, amethyst-eyed version of himself, "Then I guess that you've heard all of the gossip on how I've had so many people chasing after me that I avoid society, relationships, and dating as much as I can." Just then a clock rung in the distance and Yugi looked back at Yami.

"I'm sorry. I have to get home before my grandpa and my mom both get worried," Yugi explained as he started to walk away.

"I understand. I hope I can see you again," he said as he waved Yugi goodbye.

"Yeah maybe," he said as he continued to walk away but then turned around with a smile, "And about the gossip, I don't believe _everything_ I hear or read." With that said, he gave another smile and walked away.

**Dee Bunny: Hoped everybody liked this chap. Please review. : )**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The Lion And The Lamb

Leo gave a growl as he walked home from the Kame Game Shop. He hated that stupid golden retriever mutt Yugi had for a friend since the first day he got to school. He did have a hard time melding in with the other students when he first got to school and it had to have been almost the worst day of his life.

"Almost being the key word," he said with a smile as he remembered that one light of hope he had that day, Yugi

_Leo had just been pushed over by a bunch of bulky football players and his books and pens fell to the floor with a clatter. He glared at them as they continued to walk on leaving him on the floor._

_"Jag offs," he muttered under his breath as he began picking his things up off the floor. He already had problems that day. He had just gotten to school as the new kid, he was cornered by a bunch of bullies at lunch who warned him not to mess with them or else he would have to have reconstructive surgery on his face, and apparently rumors about him got through the school faster than sparks of wildfire. He used to go to a very strict private catholic school before he got kicked out because he got into fights often and that somehow reached the ears of the students at Domino High. He only got into fights because people at that school tormented him for being homosexual in a school full of heterosexual guys and girls. It got so bad that he got kick out and had to get into a new school. It seemed like this school wouldn't be any different._

_"Need any help?" Leo paused and looked up. His eyes went wide at seeing the person in front of him and he felt his hormones go into overdrive. The person was a boy, a beautiful boy. His gemstone eyes were wide and beautiful like a baby deer's, tri-colored hair that was wild and spiked with lightning bolt shape bangs of spun gold topped his head, his petite body was perfectly crafted with pearl skin covering all that could be seen with the rest being covered by his school uniform, and his face looked as if it was carved by every god and heavenly entity known to man. His hormones also called to him and he agreed with them that what was covered by the uniform must also be heavenly. He was hardening so badly that his pants felt like leather, way too tight._

_"Please," he said after taking a deep breath. The boy nodded and helped him pick up all of his things._

_"Don't let those idiots get to you. They're just a bunch of jerks whose brains are in their biceps," he said as he handed him some of his notebooks._

_"Trust me, I know. The guys at my old school were exactly the same."_

_"I know too. They've been tormenting me since freshmen year but I've learned to live with it," he said as he finished helping Leo, "You're Leo, right?"_

_"That's the name. Don't wear it out," he said with a sigh and looked at the ground as he started to believe that the boy would point out the rumors._

_"It was nice to meet you," he said as he walked away but turned around with a smile, "I just want you to know I don't believe __**everything**__ I hear or read." He then proceeded to walk away as Leo snapped his head up in happy surprise. Leo stared longingly after the boy and vowed to find out everything he could about him and make him his. He kept a close eye on the boy for the rest of the day whenever he saw him and eventually came to find out that his name was Yugi Moto. He gave a content sigh when he heard it. The name was just as heavenly as its owner was. When the end of the day came, he followed the boy outside until he heard a voice from behind him._

_"Hey, new guy!" He turned around to see a blond haired boy with brown eyes heading towards him. "Not too much trouble on your first day was there? The people around here can be brutal."_

_"Someone knocked down my stuff but this cool guy helped me out," he replied confused._

_"Great, well, see ya later. Hey, Yuge! Wait for me!" he yelled racing to the person Leo thought of as an angel. Leo gritted his teeth as his hands balled into fists. Blondie would be a major obstacle in getting Yugi's affections. He was right as soon as he learned a little about him. As it turns out, the mutt was Yugi's best friend, Joseph a.k.a. Joey Wheeler so he was especially close to and protective of him. That meant Leo would need to be aggressive and straightforward with his love and his affections knowing he would never be able to get close enough to him to drop subtle hints because of Blondie being around him so much. He smiled as he got on the train towards home because he knew that if there was one thing he did well, it was to be aggressive._

_He eventually got home and went straight to his computer after he did his homework. If there was another thing Leo was good at, it was the fact that he could hack into any computer or computer database in the world and not get caught. It was actually fairly simple, just find out more about the info, learn a couple of keywords and passwords, and he got any information he wanted to get. But, the only info he wanted was every single piece on Yugi. He found his address on the school files along with his best and worse subjects in school, he found his birthday through hospital birth records, he looked on social and chat room websites where he found out his hobbies, and he looked on other websites to figure out his e-mail address. He watched as the information came through the printer in deep satisfaction. He found everything he needed to on his angel and he was going to use it to his advantage._

Leo gave another smile on the train ride back home. He, like everyone else in the world, loved the _Twilight_ series and if there was one line he loved, it was the one he knew represented his situation the best. He muttered the line to himself as he walked home, "And so the lion fell in love with the lamb."

***

Yugi made it back home to find Joey sitting in his living room.

"Hey Yuge, where were ya?" Joey said as he followed Yugi to his bedroom, "After I got rid of Mr. Feline back dere I came up to find you up and pulled a Harry Houdini (**Dee Bunny:** He was a magician/escape artist in case nobody got that)."

"Sorry, Joey. I heard you and Leo yelling outside while I was doing my homework and when I left the widow open, Margalo took that particular opportunity to up and fly the coop for a little while," he said when they got into his room as he stroked the little creature in his hair before gently setting her on his desk. He then proceeded to walk over to the window and close it just in case.

"Yeah, I'm sorry about dat. I was just trying to protect ya from the lion that can't get the message. Remind me again why he goes after ya," Joey said as he lounged himself on Yugi's bed.

"You've got me," he said as he sat back at his desk, "I helped him on his first day of school and the next thing I know he knows everything about me, giving me letters and poems confessing himself to me, and he's following me everywhere I go."

"So how are ya gonna shake him permanently?" Joey said as he gave a yawn.

"I don't know, Joe. I want to stay away from him for the rest of my life but at the same time I believe that the expression 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder' might be true in his case or any case as much as I hate to say it," Yugi said with a sigh as he began to stroke Margalo gently.

"Don't worry too much about it. He's going to get out of your love life sooner or later, one way or the other," Joey said and added in a smirk, "Then you'll find someone else who'll stalk you except you'll like it that time."

"Look who's talking about other people's love lives while he himself has someone who wants him but he refuses the advances," Yugi said with a smirk as Joey faltered at the mere mention of his love life game of tag with Seto.

"Seto and I are…"

"See? You brought up the name. I never said who, but you said Kaiba," he teased Joey watching him blush furiously.

"Hey! He was the one who came on to me, okay? He was the one who started this twisted game of tag, not the other way around!" Joey shouted.

"Um, Joey?"

"Yeah, Yuge?"

"Why are you yelling?"

"I'm not yellin'. I'm provin' a point by raisin' my voice."

"Isn't that basically yelling?"

"No, it is not."

"You're not going to be able to run from him forever you know."

"Not forever, just until college when, hopefully, we'll be thousands and thousands of miles apart," he said wistfully. Just then, Yugi's cell rang and he picked it up to answer it as he sighed at Joey's comment.

"Hello?" Yugi asked. When he heard voice he immediately gained a mischievous smile on his face, "Oh hey, Kaiba." Joey looked up in shock and waved his arms in an X shape in front of him shaking his head back and forth. "Of course. Yeah, he's right here. Here ya go, Joe," he said ginning wickedly. Joey glared at him with his face tomato red as he took the phone.

"Yuge, behind your teddy bear existence lays a king cobra that only attacks at the worst possible moments," he whispered to him before answering the phone, "Hello, Kaiba." He paused for a moment listening to what it was that Kaiba had to say. "Oh, I'm sorry, but I really can't go this Friday. Me and Yugi are gonna be hanging out somewhere." Kaiba asked something. "Sorry it's just a me and him thing."

"Actually, Joey," Yugi said loud enough for Seto to hear over the phone, "I'm going to go visit his cousin. He's the one that found Margalo for me and I'm going over to hang with him." Kaiba said something over the phone again and hung up. Joey closed the phone with wide eyes.

"Kaiba's goin' to visit him that same day. He's goin' to come with us and he didn't leave any options for excuses," Joey said as he got paler, "With my luck, he's probably gonna take me somewhere secluded in dat entire place and do somethin' inappropriate to me."

"Oh, don't be such a drama queen," he huffed. "You know he wouldn't violate you. He likes you too much to make you hate him."

"Despite all dat, I don't wanna be with him for one reason," Joey responded back.

"What's that?" Yugi said with a sigh not really sure if he wanted to know the answer.

"He treats me like I'm a pleasure toy," Joey said with a frustrated sigh. Yugi rolled his eyes at how his friend acted about his relationship. He should count himself as lucky. Joey had something Yugi wanted the most in his life, a real love interest.

**Dee Bunny: Hope everyone liked it. Please rate. =**D


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Let The Games Begins

Friday came by quickly for Yugi but slowly for Joey who tried his best not to think about it. After school, they met Kaiba in the parking lot at his limo. Kaiba opened the door and after he gave an unemotional look towards Yugi, he looked at Joey with a suggestive smirk.

"Come right in. Joey, you first of course," he said with the smirk still on his face with a raised eyebrow. Joey's eyes widened and his face went bright red.

"I'd rather not," he said as he tried to push Yugi in before him.

"Great, then I can just sit next to you," he replied grinning. Joey halted.

"You planned that didn't you?" Joey said as he reluctantly got in the limo next to Kaiba whose grin got even bigger.

"You better believe it," Seto whispered in Joey's ear with the grin still on his face as he placed his hand on Joey's knee. Joey tuned red and tried to push him off but Seto only grabbed Joey's hands with his other one.

"Hey, save it for when you guys have a room okay?" Yugi said with a smile as he shifted in his seat next to Joey.

"You're not helpin', Yuge," Joey hissed through his teeth.

"My cousin does have about twelve guest rooms," Kaiba brought up with the suggestive smirk coming back on his face. Joey was by then a deep shade of crimson out of frustration and embarrassment.

"And you're just makin' it worse!" Joey yelled with his face still a crimson red. They all heard a whirring sound and looked forward to wear the chauffeur had rolled the screen between them down.

"Sirs, we are here." Yugi looked surprised.

"That was fast." Joey put his hands together as if praying.

"Thank you!"

"You're going to need someone to show you around the mansion and who better than I since I've lived here practically half my life?"

"Does somebody not like me today?" Joey screamed to the forest. "Can one thing work in my favor for once?" Just then, a tall blonde haired woman with blue eyes and peach skin walked out wearing cherry red lipstick, blue eye shadow, a purple sports jacket, fingerless gloves, high heeled black boots, a white corset-like strapless halter top, a tight purple mini-skirt, and a white maid's apron.

"Seto, it's about time you got here. Yami's been waiting…" she was about to finish when she caught sight of Yugi and Joey. She then rose an eyebrow as she leaned against the doorway with a smile on her face, "Well, I see that you've brought a few guests with you." Her sights then landed on Joey as a gleam showed up in her sapphire eyes. Kaiba resisted the urge to walk up to the head maid of his cousin's household and give her one good slap across the face because he knew that look and he didn't like it.

"Yeah, I'm Yugi Moto and this is my friend Joey Wheeler," Yugi said as he gestured towards Joey who gave a quick wave towards to the woman. Her smile became even wider as she walked towards them and gently removed some of her hair away from her shoulder.

"Pleasure to meet the both of you. I'm Mai Valentine and I'm the head maid," she said as she stood next to Joey and linked her arm with his, "Come on, you need someone to show you around and I know everything that goes on around here and how everything works so just stay by me and you won't have to worry." Kaiba became even more enraged because he noticed the seductive tone in her voice and watched as she kept their arms linked as they entered the mansion.

"Man stealing she-demon," he whispered through gritted teeth as he followed. Yugi was the only one to hear him and he allowed himself to let go of a deep sigh. This was going to be both interesting and very epic but he would also feel very sorry and sympathetic for his best friend. When they got inside, Yami walked in holding a pencil behind his ear and a stack of papers in his hand. He looked up and as if just completely ignoring his cousin, head maid, and Joey, he smiled at Yugi and walked up to him.

"You again," he said with a smile.

"Yeah, pretty much," Yugi responded with a smile. He heard Joey clear his throat and looked towards his blond friend whose arm was still linked with the other blond, "Oh Yami, this is my best friend, Joey Wheeler." Yami gave a smile of understanding as he nodded his head and looked at the blond high school boy.

"So you're the best friend that my cousin has been pining over," he said as he rubbed his chin with the smile still on his face and an arched eyebrow.

"Yami," he growled in warning.

"Don't worry. I won't go into details of your love for him and the future you're trying to plan," he joked. It was the first time Joey had ever seen Kaiba blush. It was actually pretty cute. He mentally shook his head. _Bad Joey! Don't go down that road!_

"Thanks a lot, Yami. Announce it on the six o' clock news, why don't you?"

"Oh, I have a friend that works at the news station," Yugi piped up.

"See? I now have my in," Yami said smirking at little Yugi.

"Since when do you have a friend in a news station?" Joey said as he unlinked his and Mai's arms. Yugi looked at him with an "I-thought-you-knew" look.

"Didn't Ryou ever tell you, Joe? He got an internship at a TV news station for network management," Yugi said as he saw Joey get a look on his face that said "Are you kidding me?"

"Why am I always the last to know theses things?!?!" Joey yelled out loud.

"I thought he told you, Joey. I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"I'm going to wring Ryou's neck when we get home!"

"Joey, you don't need to go that far because he eluded one piece of information about himself from you," Yugi said partly succeeding in calming him down-about half way.

"If I may interrupt this conversation, I was just about to give Mr. Wheeler a tour of the house. If you'd please Mr. Wheeler," she said grabbing Joey's arm yet again and gesturing towards the door to leave until Yami cleared his throat.

"That's okay Mai. Kaiba knows about the house more than you do and has known Mr. Wheeler longer than you have so they know each other on a more personal level."

"Yes, sir," she said as she reluctantly detached from Joey who rubbed his arm from where her nails pinched his skin. Kaiba shot a grateful look at Yami before putting a hand on Joey's lower back, to steer him out of the room, making him blush.

"You're excused, Mai." She left storming out of the room that contained the two look-a-likes.

"Sometimes I wonder if that woman has no control over her hormones even though she's in her early twenties and should have learned by now," Yami said as he shook his head. "Well, go ahead and take a seat. Don't want to be rude," he said as he steered Yugi to the sofa in the living room. Yugi then noticed that one of the papers Yami was holding dropped to the floor and he picked it up off the floor.

"Is this sheet music?" Yugi asked Yami as he looked at the multiple music notes and words on the page. Yami looked over and smiled at him.

"Yes, songwriting is a hobby of mine but I prefer to keep my music to myself and never sell out. Besides, I'm famous enough for inheriting my father's fortune and company," he explained as he walked over and sat next to Yugi.

"Do you actually play anything, sing, or just write the songs?" Yugi said enraptured by this. Yami smiled at how interested his little doppelganger was in his music and he couldn't help but stroke his cheek lightly and watch him blush at the intimate contact.

"I do all of the above actually. I write my songs and I also sing them plus, I know how to play the piano as well as the guitar. I learned how to play the piano from my mother and my father hired a tutor to teach me how to play the guitar," he said as he gently took his hand away and smiled at the blush.

"Oh, I see," Yugi said as he shyly faced away from him. Yami smiled and took Yugi's chin in his hand and faced him toward his face once more.

"You look good when you blush. You really are adorable," Yami complimented with a smile.

"You're not the first older person I've met who said that," Yugi said with his blush getting even deeper, "Apparently I'm so cute that I'm often confused for a twelve year old." Yami gave a slight chuckle at that and smiled at him.

"How old are you really?" Yami asked as he released Yugi's chin.

"Sixteen," Yugi said plainly as he gently touched the bottom of his chin. Yami smiled and gave a nod. He then stood up.

"Putting that aside for now," he started with another smile, "Would you like to listen to one of my songs?" He held out his hand to Yugi. Yugi smiled with a small blush still on his face as he took the hand and stood up.

"I would like that very much," he said as he walked with him down the hall. What Yugi didn't noticed and what Yami smiled in deep content for was that he was still holding Yami's hand.

***

Seto and Joey were walking through the halls while looking over the house. Joey was deeply depressed at Seto's constant come-ons and touching him in ways that were considered intimate contact.

_Why can't dis guy just get da message?! _Joey thought when he suddenly felt a hand on his rear end. "Don't do dat!" He pulled the hand away and got behind Kaiba. Seto turned around towards Joey and stopped walking. He then walked towards him as he backed him into a wall.

"Why should I?" he asked as he made sure to keep his face and lips just a few inches away from Joey's.

"Because…I…I'm not…we're not…" Joey said trying to let out a coherent sentence while blushing at the closeness of their bodies and the heat he could feel coming off the young CEO's body.

"The only reason we're not together is because you've been resisting instead of listening like a good little puppy," Seto responded with a smirk as he gently touched the blush and then moved his hand to Joey's hip. He laid his forehead in the crook of Joey's neck, just laying there, making Joey sharply inhale at the hot breath blowing on his neck.

"Why keep saying no? I'm not going to do anything inappropriate unless you approve," he asked/said. "I love you too much to make you hate me or to hurt you." Joey stood stunned at the admission and they just stood in that position for a while before Seto shifted. He stood up straight and wrapped his arms around Joey pulling them together and laying his head on top of Joey's with a sigh and inhaling Joey's unique and individual scent of chocolate and carrot cake.

"I don't want to hurt you," he whispered burying his face into Joey's hair. Joey's breath hitched at this confession. Seto looked back at his amber brown puppy eyes and he leaned in with closed eyes as he felt the intertwined breathing on his lips…

"There you two are! I was looking for the both of you." Seto groaned.

_Why now?!?! _he thought as he looked towards the blond woman coming up the hall. He growled as he saw her approach them and he clutched Joey closer to him possessively.

"Kaiba…I…can't…breathe," Joey said as he felt like he was going to suffocate in the other's possessive grip.

"Yeah Kaiba, you can let go of him now. I'll take good care of him," Mai said as she all but yanked Joey out of his grasp. Seto glared at the smirk on her face when he turned towards Joey.

"Joe, why don't you go ahead and find Yami and Yugi? I think their in the music room downstairs. It's the next room away from the living room," he told Joey which was more of a demand then a suggestion. Joey nodded his head as he walked away with one thought in mind.

_Luck for me I got out of der. Somethin' is tellin' me that this isn't gonna be pretty._

"You sure pick a fine time to look for us, don't you think?" Kaiba asked with a growl and a glare at the blond headed maid.

"I have absolutely no clue what you're talking about," Mai said with a mock smile of innocence.

"Don't even try it, bitch! It's a good fucking thing you're useful or Yami would have fired you a long time ago. He told me himself. And stay away from Joey. He doesn't need to be tainted by the likes of you," he seethed before storming towards the music room.

"Let the games begin," Mai said when he was out of earshot with a smirk on her face.

He slammed the door and looked sheepishly at the other three before leaning against the door and loosely grabbing Joey's hand before listening to Yami's music. If Joey didn't want it, he could just let go, but in truth, he actually tightened his grip on Seto's hand making Kaiba truly smile (rare) at him.

"My, my, Seto, You seem a little on the agitated side," Yami said with a raised eyebrow.

"You can thank that damn head maid of yours. Come on, Joey," he said he pulled Joey behind him, "I suddenly realized that it would be extremely dangerous to leave you on your own." Joey just gave a blush as he reluctantly followed. Yugi looked on after them with Yami.

"Does he always act like that?" Yugi asked as he looked back at Yami with large amethyst eyes blinking in curiosity.

"He's more irritated then usual," Yami said as he pulled out another sheet of music with a smile towards Yugi, "This is a really special song for me. I started working on it a few days ago. I wanted you to hear it the most." Yami placed the sheets in front of him and played a few keys as he looked at the words in front of him before playing the song. Yugi's eyes widened slightly as he listened to the words that came out of Yami's mouth knowing that there was a deep meaning in them and that the meaning was meant for him.

_**Once upon a broken heart**_

_**I was walking alone in the dark**_

_**Looking for a way to start again **_

Yami's eyes widened as Yugi started singing the words in harmony with him and at how beautiful his voice was. He smiled as he continued to play and sing with Yugi.

_**What I wouldn't give for a friend**_

_**There was no love in my life **_

_**There was no light in my eyes**_

_**All the tears that I have cried and cried**_

_**Seemed like they'd never end and I**_

Yami and Yugi both lost each other in the music and in each other's voices. Both of them now knowing that the song fit the both of them perfectly and that they were now with someone who understood.

_**Never believed fairytales came true**_

_**But now I know that they really do**_

_**Now that I found you**_

_**Now that I'm here with you**_

_**Just look at the sunshine in you**_

_**Show me a world I've never seen**_

_**I woke up and fell into this dream**_

_**Happily ever after just took time**_

_**Once upon this broken heart of mine**_

Yugi started playing some of the high keys on the piano along with Yami and closed his eyes to let the music wash over him better.

_**Long ago and far away**_

_**I could never dream of the day  
That your love would come my way and stay**_

_**And sweep me away and I**_

Yami's mind wrapped around this verse and he realized that he never wrote these on the paper and that it was as if he was speaking from his heart now instead of what was on the paper.

_**Never believed fairytales came true**_

_**But now I know that they really do**_

_**Now that I found you**_

_**Now that I'm here with you**_

_**Just look at the sunshine in you**_

_**Show me a world I've never seen**_

_**I woke up and fell into this dream**_

_**Happily ever after just took time**_

_**Once upon this broken heart of mine**_

Yugi felt the same way as he continued to sing with Yami and with a smile and a blush he realized that Yami was that missing piece in his life that he needed.

_**This is a way a fairytale feels**_

_**This is the way I know it's real**_

_**This is a way a broken heart heals and I**_

Yami turned towards Yugi and watched as he continued to play and sing with him and he felt his heart race for the first time.

_**Never believed fairytales came true**_

_**But now I know that they really do**_

_**Now that I found you**_

_**Now that I'm here with you**_

_**Just look at the sunshine in you**_

_**Show me a world I've never seen**_

_**I woke up and fell into this dream**_

_**Happily ever after just took time**_

_**Once upon this broken heart of mine**_

Yami and Yugi both took a deep breath as the song finished and they looked at each other and a realization washed over Yami. Yugi was his soul mate, Yugi was the one Yami needed in his life and he knew that Yugi felt the same way by the look in his eyes.

"Yugi," Yami said as he took both of Yugi's hands in his, "I would be honored if you would come here on your own and get to know me on a more personal level." Yami smiled as he saw Yugi blushed some more.

"I would like that very much, Yami," Yugi said as a smile became bright on his face as he and Yami looked at each other knowing that they found something the other needed.

***

Yugi was smiling as he walked home that night after he left Yami's and he had an extra bounce in his step. Kaiba did ask if he wanted a ride home but he decided to walk instead because he figured Joey and Kaiba would want some time alone. He felt lighter then air as he neared the Game Shop with the smile still pasted on his face.

"Hey Yugi." Yugi stopped in his tracks and his eyes went wide as he looked over to see Leo looking back at him.

"Oh, hi Leo," he said stiffly walking faster now.

"Where were you? I was searching for you all day and when I went to the Game Shop, your grandfather said you weren't there and weren't sure when you'd get back. It's getting pretty late. You shouldn't be out by yourself. I'll walk you home," he rambled on and on. All of a sudden a Mercedes pulled up alongside them halting all conversation.

"Hey, Yugi. You left a card at my house. I thought you'd need it for your next game. Need a ride home?" Yami said after rolling the passenger side window down. Yugi sighed unnoticeably and smiled sympathetically at Leo.

"Thanks, Yam. I'm sorry Leo, but I'm going to have to decline. Um, I guess I'll see you at school then." With that, he practically threw himself into the front seat. Yami drove off quickly spinning hazardously around the corner before going back to the normal speed limit.

"Oh my Kami! I'll never be able to thank you enough Yami. He's a stalker, he never leaves me alone," he groaned leaning his head on the dashboard. Yami chuckled.

"He won't bother you with me around," Yami said rubbing his neck to soothe his muscles. Yugi smiled at him and touched his hand lightly.

"Thanks, Yami," Yugi said as he saw the lights for the Game Shop up ahead, "There it is, Yami." Yami pulled up in front of the Shop. Yami got out and walked around to open Yugi's door.

"I'm glad you got home safely, Yugi. Someone like you doesn't deserve to get hurt this time of night with… less then satisfactory company around every corner coming out at this time," Yami said as he watched Yugi hop out. Yugi could tell by the hint in his voice that the comment was mostly directed towards Leo.

"Thanks again, Yami. Thanks for everything," Yugi said with another blush as he stared up at Yami.

"Just one more thing before you go inside," Yami said before he lifted Yugi's head a little and pressed his lips lightly against his. Yugi felt his spine tingle but was able to respond to the kiss happily. After a few minutes, they broke apart and Yami smiled as he gently stroked Yugi's face, "See you later." Yami walked back to the car and drove off after waving goodbye. Yugi touched his lips and turned around to see his mother watching him with a smile.

"He seems like a charming young man," she said as she watched her son walk up to her with a smile.

"Mom, I can explain…" Yugi said but was silent when she placed a finger on her son's lips.

"Honey, I knew all the time that you liked both girls _and _boys," she said with another smile as she watched her son's look of surprise.

"You did? How did you…" Yugi started frantically.

"A mother knows these things, sweetheart and I just want to say I don't care," Mrs. Moto interrupted again as her son smiled at her.

"Thanks, mom," he said as he walked with his mom back inside. She smiled at her son again and gently ruffled his hair.

"No problem, kiddo. But promise me that I'm the first one who gets to meet him," she said as she laughed at that statement with her son as they went inside. What no one noticed was that someone else was watching on the corner and he felt like a water valve about to burst from the scene he saw.

"So, I've got some competition, eh?" Leo said as he spun around jealously and angrily to walk towards the train station, "Well, Mr. Mirror Image, I think it would be my utmost honor to say, let the games begin and with Yugi as the prize, there's no way I going to lose."

**Dee Bunny: Hoped everyone liked this chapter. I forgot to mention that since this is going to be part musical that everyone in the fic who's going to be a central character will eventually have their own song they sing that represents them and the couples will have songs that best fit their relationships. Now that that's out of the way, please review my people. =p**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: The Former Thief and the Sweet Scholar

**Dee Bunny: This one is mostly for all the Yami Bakura/ Ryou Bakura lovers out there.**

"He was so great. I just know you would have liked him," Yugi said as he was walking downtown with Ryou to get stuff ready for the slumber party that was going on at Yugi's house that night.

"Yeah, but Bakura wouldn't like the fact that I would like him, even if it is just as a friend. He wouldn't even care about the fact that I don't go after friends' girlfriends or boyfriends," he said as they walked into the grocery store, "he's just all around possessive and wants me all to himself."

"I still think that it's quite a coincidence that you have a boyfriend who works at Yami mansion let alone the fact that you ever had a boyfriend in the first place," Yugi said as he grabbed a couple of bags of marshmallows.

"Do we really need that many marshmallows?" Ryou said as he grabbed a shopping cart.

"Of course. If we're going to have smores we need marshmallows plus you know how much food Joey is able to pack away," he answered as he placed them in the cart.

"Yeah," Ryou said with a sigh, "He acts like every meal is an all you can eat buffet. But to answer your earlier statement, I never told you about him because I thought you guys would make me break up with him."

"Why would we do that?" Yugi questioned a little surprised as he got some chocolate bars off the selves and continued to walk on with Ryou to the dairy isle.

"Well, I thought that because Bakura's a former thief and I just don't mean a petty thief. He used to steal everything from the jewelry of extremely wealthy people to rare pieces from almost every museum in the world. In fact, he was wanted in twelve countries, especially Egypt and Japan, before the police caught up with him and put him on probation," Ryou explained as he took two gallons of milk out of the fridge, "He's off of probation now because of good behavior."

"So, did the both of you meet after one of his moonlit escapades when you traveled with your mom for a while?" Yugi asked with a teasing smile on his face as they continued to walk on with each other, "Did you guys meet in Paris after he robbed the Louve (**Dee Bunny: **I _think _that's how it's spelled) or in New York after he took some priceless paintings from the Metropolitan?"

"Yugi, you're so mean," he said pouting and putting graham crackers in his basket.

"Funny because everybody calls me nice, an angel."

"You are like an angel but you have a tendency to be borderline mischievous at times," Ryou said as they continued to gather the things they would need.

"But seriously, when and how did you two meet?" Yugi asked as they headed towards the freezer section.

"Well, we met at the library if you can believe it," Ryou said as he opened one of the freezers and took out two tubs of ice cream and a large container of sherbet, "I was there to return some books I had borrowed and to study for an Algebra test I had. I was sitting at a table in a corner of the library when I heard someone pull out a chair across from me…"

_Ryou looked over the top of his Algebra book a little to get a better look at the stranger sitting across from him. Well, he wasn't exactly a stranger because Ryou knew who he was. Unlike other people his age, besides Yugi, he read the newspaper and watched the news on TV and he just knew that the man who was sitting across from him was the notorious thief, Bakura. Ryou never was one to immediately trust people he saw for the first time, no matter how much they looked like they could be trusted or how attractive they were, with Yugi being the first and only exception of course _(**Dee Bunny: **I just can't imagine anybody not trusting Yugi at first sight)_. And even if Bakura was put on probation and went to his school to finish high school, this situation was no different._

_"Is there something you need?" he asked coldly._

_"Actually, now that you mention it, yes there is." Ryou got the message and instantly stood up and grabbed his books and papers. He placed them into his messenger bag and slung it over his shoulder. _(**Dee Bunny: **I have absolutely no clue why, but I imagine Ryou having a messenger bag for a book bag.)

_"I don't think I want to know," he said as he walked towards the back of the library to take out a few books. Bakura calmly and gently leaned Ryou into a bookcase and stood face to face with him._

_"I see you in school, all shy and demure, almost like Yugi, except better looking," he smiled at that, "I have an opportunity to have you for myself and I'm not going to pass it up." Ryou calmly slid under his arm and continued to walk down the aisle of bookcases while ignoring Bakura all at once. Ryou stopped at a teen romantic fiction section of the library and instantly pulled out _Twilight _from the shelves. _(**Dee Bunny: **I also imagine Ryou reading _Twilight_. Long live _Twilight_ fans! X3) _Sure, he already literally read it a dozen times, had the special edition DVD of the movie, the soundtrack as well as the CD for the scores of the movie, and memorized all the quotes from the book by now but he didn't care. It was his favorite book and anyone who would say he was obsessed could willingly jump off a cliff. Just as he pulled the book out, a pale hand clasped over his and he felt breathing on his ear._

_"You just don't give up, do you?" Ryou said with a sigh. He could feel Bakura smirk against his ear._

_"Nice choice," he responded to purposely evade the question, "It is a good series but I'm a sucker for a good mystery myself." He let go of Ryou's hand and pulled out a book from the shelf. Ryou saw this movement and against his better judgment he turned to see which book he pulled out. _

_"_And Then There Were None _by Agatha Christy," he said with a smirk on his face, "A good book, don't you agree?" Ryou wanted to resist the urge to voice his opinion but his intellect got the better of him._

_'Curse me and my love of fine reading,' he thought as he kept up his emotionless expression as he voiced his opinion._

_"It was a fine book. The detail was amazing, the plot was interesting, the idea for the story was unique, and the ending was such an unpredictable twist that it had me thinking about the book all night. It left me tossing and turning in my sleep just thinking about it." Ryou regretted the last comment when he saw a sly smirk come onto his face._

_"Really? Well then, maybe you would like to come over to my apartment and we could read the book together. I would love to see just how much you toss and turn because of the ending in your sleep," Bakura said as he put the book back and rubbed Ryou's cheek, "I bet you look so sensual moving so much in your sleep, never ceasing from those frantic movements and breathing so heavily," he licked his lips after he said that, "I just know it would be a site I would enjoy very much."_

_"Yeah, well keep dreaming. I'm not going anywhere with you," he said before he slipped away to check out the book before hurrying outside to get to his car quickly. He stopped, seeing Bakura lean against the hood of his truck._

_"What is wrong with you? I don't want a fuckin' stalker," Ryou spat out angrily._

_"So, the sexy, little bookworm has a fire in him, eh? I just want to say that I am now completely turned on," Bakura said as he licked his lips again. Ryou just got into his car, started it up, and drove off as fast as he could before driving the normal speed limit as he usually does. He couldn't help but feel deep anger towards the older boy and what was even worse was that Ryou was, by an extremely slim margin, fascinated by him. Being an outcast not a lot of people came up to him with love confessions and this is what probably drew him to the former convict but at the same time he hated how the elder showed it and he had a hard time trusting people the first time he actually met them. He sighed as he felt some of his tension being released and decided to go to his favorite coffee shop to get something to drink and to clear his head. He pulled into the drive way, got out of his car and made sure to lock it, walked in through the front door, and walked up to the counter. Once he got his apple chai _(**Dee Bunny: **My cousin threw this coffee drink at me, not literally of course. She and her mother go to Starbucks, insert trademark, almost every other day so she knows what she's talking about)_, he sat down at his usual corner table and pulled his laptop from out of his bag to work on an essay he had due next Tuesday. He stopped abruptly and gave a frustrated sigh._

_"Why can't I even enjoy the atmosphere of my favorite coffee shop today without you breathing down my neck?" Ryou said as he gently massaged his temple._

_"I don't like this place," Bakura said from behind him, "There are too many people here who would like to sneak you out of here and steal you away from me."_

_"We were never together in the first place and I don't exactly see that happening any time, now or ever," Ryou responded as he avoided looking at him and took a drink of his apple chai as he continued to type some of his report. Bakura silently closed Ryo's laptop earning him a glare from the younger version of himself._

_"There now, that's much better," Bakura said in deep satisfaction as he tilted Ryou's chin up so their eyes could meet, "A face like yours shouldn't be hiding behind books and computers." He slapped Bakura's hand away before finishing off his drink. A little dribbled down his chin and he froze as Bakura licked it away before he could just wipe it off._

_"Mm, you taste so good," he whispered in Ryou's ear. Ryou got up and threw him another glare._

_"You are fairly, if not completely, close to having me have to file a restraining order against you," Ryou said as he continued to glower at the person in front of him who apparently had a problem with leaving him alone._

_"Isn't that going a little too far?" Bakura said with a smirk._

_"You won't leave me alone when I tell you to, so a restraining order is the only remaining option to get it through your thick head that I never want to see you again," Ryou responded with a quick nod of his head as he turned to pack his things. He slammed all his books in and lightly slid his laptop in. He stormed out to his truck again and drove home locking all the doors and windows before drawing the curtains closed._

_"There, that should take care of everything." He peeled off his clothes and slid on a pair of black pajama pants before falling asleep. Bakura picked the lock on Ryou's sliding porch door before closing and locking it behind him. He had swiftly grabbed Ryou's planner which had his address in it and he now had Ryou's cell number. He stalked through the dark house until he came upon Ryou's bedroom. He eased the door open quietly and smiled at how Ryou curled up in a ball in his sleep. He slid in next to him wrapping his arms around Ryou and, to his surprise, having Ryou cuddle into him._

_'Aw, so vulnerable when he's asleep. He looks even more fuckable.' _(**Dee Bunny: **My cousin is advising me and that is a word she found, not me.)_ He drifted off to sleep as well. When waking Ryou realized that he was warmer than he should have been and upon cracking his eyes open found that it was body heat. He looked up to see Bakura's peaceful sleeping face and yelped turning over and accidentally falling off the bed ungracefully with a thump. Bakura woke up and looked over the edge sleepily at Ryou who had a stunned look on his face._

_"How'd you get in my house?" Ryou demanded. Bakura yawned._

_"Through the porch door," he replied shrugging heavily._

_'He is kind of cute tired. No! No! No! Shut up. He stalked you and even broke into your house. Though that doesn't stop the fact that he's attractive.' "Wait, I locked it before going to bed," he said looking at Bakura suspiciously. Bakura grinned sheepishly at him._

_Ryou furiously shook his head before standing and stretching causing his muscles to flex and ripple. Bakura stared at him lustfully and he flipped him the bird. He stormed out of the room._

_'That man brings the worst out of me. I've never cursed or snapped at someone that much in my entire lifetime. Lucky for me it's Saturday and I won't have to go to school. I'm also pretty lucky that my parents are gone and aren't here to flip out.' He walked towards the kitchen to make breakfast and when he bent down to get a frying pan out of one of the bottom cabinets when he felt a hand slap his rear end. He jumped up and rubbed his butt and he didn't have to turn around to know who it was._

_"Nice ass," Bakura said from behind. Kami, Ryou could just feel the smirk at the back of his head, "Aerobics instructors could learn a thing or two from you."_

_"Flattery will get you nowhere," he responded back. He reached towards the cabinets to get the pancake mix, but the shelf was too high even if he jumped. He squeaked as he felt two large warm hands grab his hips and pick him up. He grabbed the box and waited to be put down._

_"Hmm, this is nice," he said but then turned Ryou around and sat him on the counter and put an arm on each side of him, "But this is better!"_

_"Let me go!" Ryou shouted. He went to kick Bakura, but anticipating this, he had already situated his body between Ryou's legs._

_"You know I saw this position in a movie once," Bakura said with a smirk as he leaned in closer, "I think you can pretty much figure out how it ended up later on." Ryou pushed him away as hard as he could and walked a little further away from him. He stopped, took a deep breath, finally broke down, and asked the question he desperately needed answered._

_"Why me?"_

_"Pardon moi?" Bakura said genuinely taken by surprise._

_"Why was it me you felt the need to stalk and come on to? Why am I so appealing to you? I'm… the kind of person who nobody really notices unless it has to do with school work. I'm not physically attractive, my central idea of a good time is sitting in my favorite coffee shop and reading a good book, and I have a tendency not to trust anyone I meet for the first time. I'm not anything anybody would want in a perfect person, so why do you want me?" Bakura blinked in surprise then actually smiled. He walked towards Ryou who walked backwards until he hit the counter._

_"You have a fire, even if you are quiet. You're a fighter, never backing down even to the last minute. Your body is perfect, no matter what you say. You never pretend to be anyone except who you truly are. And that is the hardest trait to come by these days," Bakura said as he trapped Ryou again. Ryou couldn't believe what he was hearing and what was more, Bakura actually meant it!_

_"Even so, I still don't see what's so special about me," Ryou said as he shook his head a little._

_"Because you're too modest. You don't see yourself through my eyes. Hell, if you did, you'd probably want to fuck you too. Even just walking or standing still, you're tempting," he said snagging Ryou's earlobe between his teeth. Ryou felt a shiver come up his spine and resisted the urge to whimper. Bakura smirked and continued on with his ministrations, going from the ear to the neck and then up the jaw line, "You're enjoying this, aren't you, my little bookworm?"_

_"I…" Ryou started but didn't for three reason. One: saying something would probably ruin the moment; Two: his head kept telling him it was wrong and that he should push Bakura away but his heart was saying it was right and that he should just ease up and relax which sounded like the best option; Three: Bakura placed a kiss, fueled by raw passion and love and desire all rolled into one, on his lips. His first instinct was to back away but due to his other notion of going with his heart, he gave in and just kissed back much to Bakura's delight. When the need for air finally got to them, they pulled apart and looked at each other. Ryou gave Bakura his first real smile towards him and slowly shook his head._

_"Fine, I'll give you a chance," Ryou said and saw Bakura smirk but before he could respond Ryou cut in, "But, make one false move and I swear I'll cut off every tie I have with you and I _will_ file that restraining order." Bakura smirk just got wider and he kissed Ryou's neck again before whispering, "You won't regret this."_

"And he was right, I haven't regretted it since," Bakura said as he and Yugi finished gathering everything and headed for the checkout lines.

"Wow, that's great, Ryou. I'm glad you found someone even if he was your stalker at first," Yugi said with a smile but then proceeded with a frown and a sigh, "But I also am starting to wish that my own stalker wasn't as aggressive as Bakura was. I mean, sure, the stalker situation worked out for you but it will never work out for me and Leo because I'll never be able to love him. He's way too aggressive and something about him just make my stomach churn."

"Well, I hope your stomach is ready to make butter because look who's coming our way," (**Dee Bunny: **Ryou was making a reference to butter churns in that statement in case you didn't get it) Ryou said seeing a familiar black haired, green eyed boy coming towards them.

"Why does it seem like he pops up everywhere I go?" Yugi said with deep frustration.

"He's like one of those weeds you just can't seem to get rid of, isn't he?" Ryou whispered back before Leo was completely in front of them.

"Hey, Yugi," Leo said with a smile as if ignoring Ryou. That or he didn't want to acknowledge his existence.

"Hello, Leo," Yugi said with a small sigh as he tried his best to restrain his annoyance.

"What are you doing here?" he questioned with a gleam in his eyes.

"Bakura and I were just buying some snacks for a party I'm having."

"A party, why wasn't I invited?" Leo said in deep depression.

"I only ever invite my closest friends and plus the apartment is kind of small and I'm having a slumber party so there won't be a lot of room," Yugi explained before he cringed when he saw a look cross over Leo's face which formed into a look of having a very enjoyable fantasy right down to the goofy smile.

"Too bad, I guess. Though I do wonder how you look like in your pajamas."

_'I bet that's not all you were wondering about'_ Yugi thought. Then, Ryou cut in and stopped him from telling Leo out.

"If you'll excuse us, Leo. Yugi and I need to pay for our things before most of them melt." Then, he swept Yugi away and led him to the check out.

"You had perfect timing on that one, Ryou," Yugi said as he paid the cashier when she finished ringing up their items, "I was so close to loosing it." Ryou chuckled a little and grabbed some of the bags.

"No problem I know what it's like to be stalked by someone," Ryou said as they walked out of the store.

"Yeah," Yugi said before he smirked and said, "But not only did you start an actual relationship with your stalker but I bet that he also jumps at you whenever you two are alone and makes out with you as much as he can.

"Yugi!" Ryou said with a deep nlush of embarrassment on his face. But he wasn't embarrassed because of that comment, he was embarrassed because it was actually the truth. And what was an even deep truth was that he didn't want it any other way.

**Dee Bunny: I hope everyone liked this chapter, sorry for interrupting at some points, and to answer horseygurl's question, I didn't write the song and it is really sung by a girl group called the Beu Sisters. Now that that's out of the way, review please. X3**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: The Slumber Party

Yugi was working hard with Ryou to arrange and move the furniture in his room to make room for everyone.

"Thanks for helping me out Ryou," Yugi said as he took a pile of his board games and put them on the floor of his closet.

"It's no problem," he responded with a smile as he straightened the books on Yugi's book case.

"Thanks anyways," he said grinning before dragging out two sleeping bags.

"I'm glad to help besides it'll give me something to do as an excuse not to answer some of Bakura's texts and calls," Ryou said with a sigh as he picked up a couple more games and placed them on the shelf, "He always calls me to check on where I am, what I'm doing, who I'm with… To be very honest, I wonder if he really and truly trusts me."

"He does," Yugi reassured him. "He just wants to make sure you're safe and protected."

"What could you do to help me that I couldn't?" Ryou laughed.

"Hey! I've had plenty of self-defense practice, thank you very much!"

"Yugi, learning about self defense in P.E. doesn't exactly do anything for many people," Ryou said with a smirk as he helped Yugi push his bed towards the window.

"I also took classes at the community center whenever I go with my mom," Yugi said straining from pushing the bed, "What? You think I can't defend myself if it all comes down to it?"

"Look how far that's gotten you with your stalker," Ryou pointed out.

"Point," Yugi admitted reluctantly. They both headed towards the kitchen to prepare the snacks and dinner for the night. It was just going to be them because his grandpa was going to visit his friend, Professor Hawkins, who was visiting Japan. Yugi and his friends had met the professor before and they liked him because he was kind, soft spoken and extremely patient which was a good thing considering how Joey could always managed to somehow get himself in trouble. His mom was also going to be out with her friends and wouldn't be back for several hours so it was just going to be the four teenagers that night and whenever that was going to happen his mother would make Yugi recite the house rules for whenever he or him and his friends were alone in the apartment. Then after he would do so his mother had let him off to get everything prepared.

"Don't worry, Yugi. One of these days Leo's going to have to let you go and when he does you can be with someone who you'll be able to have a more meaningful relationship with," Ryou explained as he gathered the ingredients for dinner.

"That probably will never happen. You've heard Joey, he's too persistent."

"Sometimes I wonder if something tragic had happened during his childhood or before he came to our school to make him into who he is now," Ryou responded as he sliced up some mushrooms for the mushroom soup they were making that was his mother's specialty.

"Well, there were rumors that he used to get into fights all the time at his old school for some reason or another but rumors are just rumors and all of them have been long since forgotten especially now that he joined the baseball team," Yugi said as he boiled a large pot of water for the soup.

"Rumors are based on events happened but just twisted," Ryou pointed out.

"Touché, but we'll never know for sure, will we? I mean if he did get into fights at his old school, what would the fights have been about? He went to St. Michael's, and that is one of the most prestigious private catholic high schools on the planet," Yugi responded as he started to slice up a few tomatoes.

"And the most judgmental," Ryou added. "One flaw and you're an outcast. Here they let you in a little longer before turning you out as an outcast."

"Yeah, I also heard that they're very exclusive about who they let in. If you're not what the students consider a 'perfect catholic' than you're instantly considered a big time target for the relentless bullying of the students," Yugi said as he started to make the broth, "and I also heard that all of the students there are …" Yugi paused after awhile.

"What, Yuge?" Ryou responded with worry lacing his voice.

"I think that the reason that Leo was kicked out was because he got into fights with people about him not being a heterosexual," Yugi said as it hit him like an anvil.

"Yeah, that would explain a lot of things, like why he would get into the fights and why he chases after you while there are over a hundred girls in the entire school," Ryou said as he started to lead up to another conclusion, "Maybe he goes after you not just because of his sexuality but also because you were the first person, aside from his family, to make him feel like he could be accepted in the world."

"I don't like him, but I'd be his friend if only he chilled out and accept that fact."

"Yeah, we should just introduce him to your boyfriend."

"I don't have a boyfriend," Yugi said naïvely. Ryou smirked.

"Then, what would you call Yami?"

"A new close friend," he mumbled. _Soul mate._

"Mmhm," Ryou murmured disbelievingly.

"What? It's true and plus, I'm not sure if Yami really wants to take it to that level. I mean, sure he gave me my first kiss, but I'm just not sure if he really wants a romantic interest," he said as he placed some spices into the soup with the broth and stirred the soup, "And face it, he's one of the most eligibly young bachelors out there and he has yet to take someone as even just a lover. Plus, there are over a million people in the world who would love to have him and over half of those people are more attractive then me."

"Oh, God, Yuge! You make yourself sound incompetent and your life like a soap opera."

"And my life is how different than those of the actors of soap operas?" That shut Ryou up. "See, my life is something you only see on TV."

"So, we can make one of our own. I'm sure it'll get many hits," Ryou joked.

"Yeah, maybe. And we wouldn't have to pay anyone because the actors would be so into their characters," Yugi said with a smile.

Just then the door opened and they suddenly heard someone yell and it was obvious as to who it was.

"Oh man! I smell some of Mrs. B's mushroom soup in dere!" Joey yelled in excitement. Yugi smiled and poked his head out the door to see Joey and Serenity standing in the living room carrying duffel bags full of the things they would need for the night.

"Well, one thing's for sure, there's nothing wrong with your nose," Yugi said as he pulled back into the kitchen. They dropped their stuff in the living room for now and made their way into the kitchen.

"Damn guys! Dat smells ridiculously awesome!" He went to take a sip but Yuge smacked his hand with a spoon lightly.

"You'll eat in a minute," he reprimanded Joey. Serenity giggled and shook her head.

"Honestly Joey, you need to control your appetite," Serenity said as she helped put more vegetables into the soup.

"Give me a brake, Serene," Joey said as he sat on the kitchen floor with a sigh. Before anyone else could speak, Ryou's cell phone rang and he checked it.

"Oh no," he said with an exasperated sigh.

"What's wrong, Ryou?" Serenity said a little worried.

"It's Bakura, again. He's going to blow his top if he finds out why I wasn't answering his calls," he said gaining a few confused looks from Serenity and Joey.

"Bakura's Ryou's boyfriend," Yugi said earning a nod of understanding from the both of them, "Just talk to him. You can't possibly make him anymore upset then you already have."

"You don't know Bakura," he said with a sigh before answering his phone. "Hey?"

"**Where the hell are you Ryou? Are you trying to fucking give me a heart attack? I came home and found you gone. I almost lost it. Who's with you?**" he asked the last question after he heard giggling coming from Ryou's side but not being Ryou's laugh.

"Calm down, Bakura. I'm with my friends at my friend Yugi's house for a sleepover. I always go out to my friends' houses on Saturdays. You know that," Ryou said as he tried his best to calm his boyfriend down as best as he could.

"**I don't care if you're with Yugi. We barely got to spend any time with each other this past week and I think we need a day for just the two of us.**"

"But, Bakura," he whined.

"No buts, Ryou!" he said as he burst through the door. "We're going!" he said walking right up to a shocked Ryou and grabbed him around the waist and carrying him out.

"Hey, wait a minute!" he said as he struggled and closed his phone. He grabbed the edge of the wall as Bakura went to walk out of the kitchen. "Sorry, guys! Guess I'll see you tomorrow," he said as Bakura got his grip off the wall and walked out the house with him. It was quiet for a minute.

"O-K," Serenity said finally breaking the silence.

"Yeah, that wasn't weird," Yugi said sarcastically.

"Good thang it ain't us," Joey said feeling grateful.

"Soup's on," Yugi said as he checked it out for a second. He knew it was done because Ryou's mom also taught him the recipe.

"Great, we can worry about Ryou later," Joey said as he grabbed himself a bowl. Serenity smiled and sighed again as she grabbed her bowl. Yugi shook his head at his friend's eagerness but took a bowl for himself. They stayed up for a couple of hours eating the snacks Yugi had prepared and they played a couple of his board games. When they finally got ready for bed, Serenity and Joey slept in Yugi's room with him with both of them on the floor. Yugi got into his bed and Joey was in his sleeping bag on the floor near the head rest. Yugi noticed that Joey seemed a little troubled when he started to talk to him.

"Hey, Yuge," Joey said staring at the ceiling.

"Yeah, Joey," Yugi responded a little worried about his best friend.

"I think… I think I'm startin' to have second thoughts about Kaiba."

"Well, duh!" he said exasperated. "It's about time."

"I'm tryin' ta give ya a heartfelt truth and ya make fun of me. I don't think I'm goin' ta tell ya, now!"

"No, go ahead! Go on!" Joey sighed.

"Fine." Joey took a deep breath and continued on with his explanation, "It all started when we went ta Yami's yesterday. Kaiba was doin' what he always does with me, givin' me intimate touches, continuous come ons, and etc. and so on. Well, when I told him ta stop, he rounded me into the wall, and caged me there. He tells me that he loves me and that he'd never hurt me then he goes to give me one on the lips before the maid came and interrupted. She actually kinda scares me to be honest."

"Yeah, someone like that can be kind of scary the first time you meet them but please continue," Yugi agreed as he looked over the edge of his bed at his friend.

"Well, now that it happened, I'm not sure what ta do or say around Kaiba anymore. I'm also really confused now. He still views me as something that is able to pleasure him and that made me think that he just wanted a one time fling but now that he's told me he loves me I don't know what ta think anymore."

"Don't think, just do. Despite the cheesiness, don't go in with your head; go in with your heart though it is good to keep your head around even just a bit. Joe man, he was serious when he said he loves you. He would never lie about that. Plus, does he act this way towards anyone else?"

"Naw, he just acts like a cold-hearted bastard around others."

"Exactly. He shows you love in his own weird, wacky way."

"Maybe but I don't want ta get that involved with Kaiba until I'm a hundred percent sure about my feelings," Joey said with a yawn as he curled up in his sleeping bag and started to feel drowsy.

"You'll figure yourself soon," Yugi said squeezing his shoulder before snuggling into his bed himself.

"I hope so," Joey muttered before falling asleep. Yugi looked at his friend one more time before whispering, "You will, Joe. Believe me, I did." Yugi's eyes closed as his mind wandered to Yami and the spark of love that lit between them and he soon drifted to sleep himself. What he didn't notice before he fell asleep, however, was slight movement on the branch on the tree outside of his bedroom window along with what looked to be a shining camera lens.

***

Leo looked through the window to Yugi's sleeping form and unconsciously licked his lips raising his camera-flash off-and took a picture before zooming in on Yugi's peaceful face. He took another picture and a second one.

He took a picture of Joey's form and his face hoping that it could somehow be used as leverage against Kaiba to get him a date with Yugi. He took pictures of all of Yugi's room to observe his beloved's environment and one last one of both Yugi and Joey. Once he finished, a smile appeared and he shimmied down the tree before running back home where he would spend all night in his dark room.

He got home and as he took off his shoes he found his mother lounging on the couch. He smiled because despite knowing he was gay, his parents, especially his mom, were supportive of him. He loved his mother before but loved her even more when she accepted her son the way he was instead of abandoning or disowning him. In fact, the only person who meant as much to him as his mom did was his beautiful Yugi. His mother finally noticed him and smiled.

"Hi, honey," his mother said with a smile. Leo smiled back and walked over to his mom to kiss her on the cheek.

"Hi, mom."

"Did you get the pictures you wanted of this so called 'beautiful creature' you never specify about and keep oh so secretly cloistered to your heart?" Leo smiled at his mother's question and hugged her.

"Yes, mom. I'll just be in my dark room if you need me for anything," he said as he walked in that direction before he stopped to listen to his mother's next question.

"Will I ever see that creature you speak of so much?" He smiled again and opened the door to his dark room.

"Yeah, mom. You'll be able to see it soon. I guarantee it," he responded before he entered his dark room to develop the pictures of his beautiful creature.

**Dee Bunny: Hey everyone. I hope you liked this chapter. I thought that I could delve a little bit more into** **how Leo's** **obsessive love for Yugi is causing him to go to the extreme to have Yugi to himself in any manner possible and I also wanted to delve into his home life a little as well. If anyone has any, I'm open to suggestions on anything I could add to later chapters of the story. Just place them on the review board with your reviews. Please review. =S**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Red Hot Confrontation

After Serenity and Joey went home and Yugi saw them out, he changed his clothes and decided to go visit Yami that Sunday morning.

"Bye, mom. Bye, Grandpa. I'm going to visit Yami," he yelled towards them as he slipped his sneakers on and opened the door.

"All right, honey," his mother responded as she peeked her head out the door and gave him a wink, "Oh and should you decide to spend the night just call me and I'll give you some advice." This caused Yugi's face to become fire engine red.

"Mom!" he yelled.

"I'm just looking out for you, sweetheart. Have fun," she said with a laugh before leaving her son to leave. Yugi's face was still on fire as he ran for the park. He never noticed someone following him all the way there.

***

Yugi arrived on Yami's doorstep and his face returned to its original and healthy color. He took a deep breath and rang the door bell and looked up towards the person who opened it. It was a girl who was taller than him with aquamarine eyes and chin length brown hair. She wore a sand colored button up long sleeved shirt, a pink and white bordered vest over it, a powder blue skirt, and a pair of black buckle up shoes that seemed like the types of shoes most girls at his school wore to fit in with the dress code.

The girl noticed Yugi and smiled a bright and friendly smile.

"Hello, you must be Yugi," she said as she opened the door a little wider for him and once he entered she closed the door behind him.

"Yeah, but how do you know my name?" he asked because he never met her and yet she knew who he was. She replied with a smile and a giggle.

"Are you kidding? You're all Yami ever talks and thinks about anymore. He tells everyone how beautiful your singing voice is, he waits for the next time you'll visit, and once I passed by his room where his door was opened and I heard him whisper your name once or twice in his sleep," she said as she started to giggle more at the blush which appeared on Yugi's face.

"Really?"

"Yes, but I guess I shouldn't have told you about that. I just know karma's going to get me for that later," she said as she led him towards what looked like was the direction of the backyard, "I'm sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Tea Gardner and I'm one of the maids here."

"So Ms. Valentine is kind of your second boss," he pointed out.

"Yeah, kind of," she said with a sigh, "Mai is actually a great person. She really is. It's just that when Mai sees something she knows she's going to want, the situation is like trying to pry a tiger off of its lunch."

"I know," Yugi sighed remembering her clinginess to Joey. "You just can't get rid of her."

"Exactly!" Tea beamed. They finally reached a pair of doors and Tea stopped as she bowed to him, "I'm sorry to have to leave you so early but I have some more work to do and I get the feeling that Yami might want to spend time alone with you. So, I'll leave it to you. I hope I can see you again." She walked down the hall before she heard Yugi say something.

"I hope that we can be good friends, Tea," Yugi said before she heard him open the doors to the garden and leave. She smiled and said as she walked away, "So do I, Yugi."

***

Yugi gasped in amazement at the size of the backyard garden. It was filled with almost every plant he could think of, mostly roses of every color and variety.

"How am I going to find Yami in this place?" he whispered to himself.

"You don't have to look very far," a very familiar voice from behind him. Yugi jumped in surprise and nearly fell back when two slightly tanned arms caught him and pulled him into Yami's chest.

"Yami," Yugi said as he looked at him with a sugar pink blush on his face.

"I'm sorry, Yugi. I never meant to scare you. I would never do such a thing to you on purpose," Yami said as he lifted a hand towards Yugi's face and gently stroked the blush.

"It's okay, Yami. I wasn't sure if I would be able to find you," Yugi said as he turned around to look at the garden while Yami's arms were still wrapped around him, "Your garden is just so big and beautiful."

"I know. My mom found this place and started the garden, but when she died, nobody besides me knew about the place, and I couldn't just sneak off to clean this place up without anyone getting suspicious."

"So who took care of it for you?" Yami smirked when Yugi asked him and whispered to him the name. This caused Yugi to burst into instant laughter which caused Yami to smile from the wonderful sound.

"I know I met him just once but Bakura?!?" Yugi said once he recovered from his laughing fit.

"He was never too happy about the position himself. In fact, he swore to me in Egyptian that he was going to kill me," Yami said with a smirk, "But that happened before he met your friend, Ryou, who he constantly thinks about. I think that he softened Bakura up a little."

"Ryou is able to do that sometimes. But still," Yugi said as his gaze was caught by the roses, "He did a great job, especially with the roses." Yami was at first surprised by this but soon gained a smile.

"You like roses, little one?" he asked as he let him go for a minute and gently took out his Swiss army knife from his pocket to pluck a bright red and fully bloomed rose from the bush and to cut off its thorns.

"Yeah, I really do love them. I think it's just because I'm a…" he started to trail off when Yami came up in front of him and placed the rose behind Yugi's ear, "big…time…" after Yami did this and gave Yugi a small kiss on his lips and smiled as he pulled away from the last part of Yugi's sentence, "…romantic."

"Come on, Yugi," Yami said as he grabbed onto Yugi's hand, "I think everyone is getting ready to have lunch." As he was about open the door, however, he felt something on the back of his hand and stopped.

"Yami," Yugi said as he squeezed his hand a little, "Are you okay?" Yami looked at his little angel's concerned jeweled eyes and gave a sigh of contentment.

"Yes, little one. Why don't you go inside and find Tea? She'll direct you to the dining room. I just want to check something out here real quick," Yami responded hoping to sound convincing. Yugi smiled an innocent smile and nodded his head as he headed inside leaving Yami alone in the garden. Or at least, that was what it seemed like.

"You may come out now, Mr. Madison," Yami said before Leo stepped out from behind a tree in the garden.

"How did you know?" he said coldly as he leaned against the tree.

"I'm a man of many talents, Mr. Madison," Yami said with an equally chilled tone in his voice. "I'll ask you only one time. What are you doing here?" Leo took a few steps towards Yami who stood his ground and show Leo that he wasn't about to back down.

"Well, actually I was following my little Yugi here to ask him if he wanted to go downtown with me for a while," Leo said before a look of anger, jealousy, and pain flashed in his eyes, "Imagine my utter anger and surprise when I saw him on your door step and when I sneaked back here to see you all over him." Yami gritted his teeth to try and maintain his composure as best as he could around this boy.

"So, what if he came here? He has the right to be anywhere he wishes to be and with anyone that he wants to be with," Yami hissed through his teeth.

"He's mine and he always will be. I saw him first and I've known him longer," Leo pointed out to Yami.

"Yugi isn't an object or a trophy and you shouldn't treat him like one," Yami said just on the verge of yelling.

"Yugi has always been my treasure and he always will be. He was the first person outside of my family I met who actually made me feel like I actually belong somewhere. The first to make me feel like I could be loved by someone in the romance genre," Leo said as a grin suddenly spread across his face with a gleam in his eyes, "Plus, in all honesty, he is just so damn beautiful."

_'At least that's one thing we can agree on' _Yami thought holding back a blush, "Still, Yugi doesn't want to be with you so you can just turn yourself around and head towards home."

"No way, Atem," Leo said through gritted teeth, "I love Yugi. You don't know how long I've wanted him, how long I've waited to have him in my arms, how many times I looked at him with such deep longing, and you defiantly don't know how many dreams and fantasies I've had every day and night since I first saw him."

"I don't think I even want to know," he said grimacing. "I suggest you leave. You may not want to be parted from Yugi, but you are on my property and I don't want you on it," he said before turning around and walking into the house making sure to lock the door. "TEA!" he called. She came running at his almost frantic and furious shout.

"Yes, master?"

"Make sure all the windows and doors are locked. Also, have someone always watching the security cams."

"Yes, sir," she said not even questioning his motives. Yami walked, more like stomped, down the hall towards the dinning hall. He opened the door to see Yugi laughing and talking to Marik, Malik, Mai, and Ishizu at the dinning table and he smiled. He felt like a weight was instantly lifted off his shoulder and he almost forgot about what happened that day and it was all just because he saw Yugi smiling and happy.

"Mr. Madison may think he can have you but I'll always know the truth. I know you feel the same way I feel for you even though you never say so. I'll always be here to keep you safe…" Yami whispered as he smiled and blushed as he found the perfect nickname that fit Yugi the best way it could, "my little Light." He calmed the blush and joined everyone for lunch.

***

Yami couldn't help but sigh in depression as he drove Yugi home. He wanted to make sure Yugi was home in time for dinner, he had school tomorrow, and that he got home safely in case Leo was out there just waiting for Yugi to be alone to jump him but at the same time he wish he didn't have to take Yugi home. He wanted to be able to keep Yugi with him for a little while longer, he wanted to hold Yugi in his arms and learn all that Yugi was willing to talk about himself, and he wanted to caress him and tell him how wonderful he was and overall that he loved him. Yami sighed before he felt a head lay on his shoulder. He smiled as he gently laid his head on his while making sure he kept his eyes on the road.

He reluctantly pulled the car into the driveway and, just like the first time, appeared by Yugi's door quickly to open it for him and kiss him goodnight. When it did happen he was surprised when Yugi gently grabbed his hand.

"I promised my mom she'd be the first to meet you," Yugi said with a blush and a shy smile. Yami grinned and allowed Yugi to shyly lead the way into his house.

"MOM! I have someone for you to meet!" His mother instantly came into the living room and smiled at Yami.

"I knew this day would come. My son bringing home his first date to meet me," she said with a smile as she walked up to Yami, "Thank you for coming, Yami."

"You knew?" he asked blinking.

"Mother's intuition," she said smiling knowingly. Yami chuckled at that.

"My mother always used to say that when she knew something that I didn't know that she knew." She laughed at this comment and ushered him towards the couch.

"Yami, you just sit here dear. Grandpa and I already ate dinner, Yugi sweety, but…" she said as a sly smile came on her face, "We've had yet to have dessert. I wanted to wait for you and Yami." Yugi instantly got a hopeful smile on his face which didn't get pass Yami.

"You made triple layer German chocolate cake with butter cream frosting didn't you?" he asked hopefully. His mother smiled once again.

"Your one and only favorite," she said as she son received a hug from her son.

"Thanks, mom," he said with a grateful smile on his face as he hugged her tight. Yami couldn't help but go into a dream state when he saw Yugi like that. He couldn't help it. It was like a reflex that kicked in whenever Yugi was happy that he couldn't stop and he didn't want to.

Once Yugi and his mother walked in to get the cake, Grandpa took that moment to walk into the living room to see Yami sitting there in the living room. Yami was surprised that instead of being concerned he smiled at him as if he was a member of the family.

"Hello, Yami. It's a pleasure to meet you," he said after Yami stood up to shake his hand.

"Likewise, sir," Yami said in return as he sat back down after Grandpa himself sat in his chair.

"It's so nice to see that Yugi has met someone who can be with on a more romantic scale," Grandpa said with a sigh as he lend back into his chair, "Unlike that Leo fellow that showed up on our doorstep on Friday wanting to know where Yugi was." Yami's eyes widened at that.

"How did you know about Leo?" he asked in case he needed to be concerned about Yugi's grandpa. He knew how fond Yugi was of his grandfather from the way he spoke of him at his mansion and Yami couldn't help but want to make sure that everyone Yugi loved and cared for were safe and he knew that Leo could be a big threat to all of them.

"Yugi mentioned him once or twice whenever he talked about school. I could tell that by the way my grandson spoke of him that he wasn't exactly a sane character and believe me when I say that my grandson has never lied or stretched the truth about anything," Grandpa said as he looked at Yami with concern in his eyes, "Friday was the first time I ever truly met the boy and I could tell from his eyes and facial gestures that he was as obsessive about Yugi as my grandson claimed him to be. I maintained the same sort of composure I usually do around others but when he was gone, I felt great concern overwhelm me for Yugi's safety."

"I swear to you Mr. Moto that I will do everything in my power to keep Yugi safe and out of harms way," Yami said as a solemn vow to both himself and Grandpa. Grandpa smiled and nodded his head after straightening up in his chair.

"Thank you, Yami. I can tell that you truly care and love Yugi and since you're an unofficial member of our family now, I want you to call me Grandpa." Yami smiled at the older man just as Yugi and his mom came in with the cake. Yami smiled at the little angel and sat him next to him on the couch as he again swore to himself silently that he would protect his beautiful little Yugi.

***

Yami left the shop with a smile on his face. Yami stayed with Yugi and his family for three hours and he loved every moment of it. He loved Yugi's family and what was even better is that they loved him back which made Yugi all the more happier to have Yami in his life which in turn made Yami even happier to have Yugi in his life.

He was about to open his car door when he looked out towards the end of the street and saw the one person he never wanted to see standing there. He sneered at Leo from a distance before getting into his Mercedes and driving off towards home slowly but not before whispering to himself another solemn vow.

"Mr. Madison, You will not go anywhere near Yugi, his family, or his friends. He's too pure and innocent for you. I will make sure you never go near him and that's a promise." With that, he drove home to think about his next course of action on protecting his little light angel from that insane psychopath of a demon.

**Dee Bunny: Hope you all liked this chapter as usual. I'm still opened to suggestions and I'm also opened to constructive criticism. Please review. =]**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Sketches and Photos

Yugi sighed as he was stuck in his seventh period math class and was absentmindedly drawing a picture with skillful hands in his notebook. He couldn't wait for his last class to end so he could get out of class, go home, do his homework, and hopefully have enough time to fit in a visit to Yami.

The bell finally rang and with a sigh of relief he looked down at the picture he drew and instantly blushed at the masterfully done and realistic sketch. He had all unknowingly drawn a side profile of Yami's head and he didn't leave a detail out of it.

"Where did that come from?" Yugi whispered to himself as he gingerly took out the picture and closed his notebook in slight embarrassment of himself.

"Hey, YUGE!" someone yelled in his ear right as he got out the door. He rubbed his now numb ear before turning to talk with Joey who nearly screamed his ear off.

"Joey, I am too young to have a hearing aid and nor do I plan to get one because of your consistent yelling," he joked. They started to walk together and Joey couldn't help but notice how Yugi kept fidgeting with his folder or more or less the paper sticking out of it.

"Hey, Yuge, what's that?" Yugi looked a little startled until he realized what it was he was referring to. He blushed and picked up his pace a little.

"It's nothing." Joey grinned mischievously and instantly ran up to Yugi and lifted him up so that he could hold him. Yugi squirmed and tried to loosen Joey's grip. Joey managed to pull the paper out of his folder and his grin went into Cheshire cat mode when he saw the picture of Yami.

"Oh, Yuge, you were thinking about him! You love him, man! You know you love him!" Joey said in a teasing voice as he teased Yugi about his relationship with Yami.

"Joey, I don't know if it's real love yet. I mean, sure we shared a few kisses, I spend time with him, and he met my mom and Grandpa but that doesn't mean it's love," Yugi said as he finally got out of Joey's grasp and took the picture back from him.

"Damn, dude! He already met ya fam! You two are gettin' cozy, man!" he said elbowing him lightly. Joey suddenly saw Kiaba at his locker when they turned the corner and suddenly stopped them at the corner.

"Joe, what is it?" Yugi asked a little concerned.

"It's nothin', Yuge. I just want to tell Kaiba what I told ya Saturday night." Yugi smiled in understanding and gave a nodded.

"Okay Joe, see you," Yugi said as he walked in the opposite direction to his locker. Joey took a deep sigh and calmed himself down.

"Okay Wheeler, you're just about ta tell the guy, who is practically turned on by just the thought of ya, that ya don't know exactly how ya feel about him. Yeah, no pressure," Joey said as he took a rabbit's foot out of his pocket and rubbed it, "But just ta be safe." He was just about to walk towards Seto when he saw Leo walk up to him. Joey raised an eyebrow and listened in on the conversation carefully.

***

Kaiba finished putting all of his things in his locker when he saw Leo Madison walk up to him with an envelope in his hands. He sneered at the black haired boy now turned baseball star on their team.

"What do you want?" he asked in a rough and irritated voice. Leo gave a smirk and crossed his arms as he shook his head slightly.

"Tsk, tsk, Kiaba. No need to be so harsh. Especially considering how I'm here on official business."

"I repeat last time. What do you want?" he asked sneering at the aggravating boy. Leo's smirk just got wider as he opened the envelope and pulled out two photos.

"I'm here to strike a deal with you," he said as he showed Seto the pictures of Joey he took from outside of Yugi's house at his sleepover. Seto's eyes got wide and his jaw dropped as he looked at the pictures of his sleeping puppy dog. He looked even more beautiful asleep than Seto had ever imagined him to be and he looked so peaceful caught in that moment.

"How did you…" he said as he reached out to touch the picture of Joey's face when Leo took the pictures away and slipped them back into the envelope.

"I have my ways," he said with a grin as he looked at the rich and young CEO of Kaiba Corp., "I'm giving these to you, Kaiba. I don't have any use for them in my photo albums and/or any of my portfolios so you can have them because I know you want them. It's no secret to anyone in this whole school that you're so into him." His glare hardened.

"What the hell are you talking about?" he asked referring to the deal. Leo grinned even wider and Kaiba held back a shiver as that grin reminded him of the Cheshire Cat from _Alice In Wonderland_. _'I always hated that damn cat.'_

"You are smart. You see, I'll let you keep the photos but I want something that'll interest me in exchange," he stepped up a few paces in front of Kaiba face and said, "I want a date with my beautiful Yugi."

"I should have guessed," Seto said through his teeth as he rolled his eyes, "You never do anything unless it involves Yugi. I should have known that you would have stooped this low."

"Don't call it 'stooping' just call it 'taking extra precautions to secure my future with my future lover and husband,'" he said with his Cheshire grin still on his face.

"He'll never be yours. He doesn't like you romantically at all and you can't force love on him. He'll just hate you even more for it. Anyways, it's too late. He already likes somebody else." He shut his locker and walked the opposite way from where Leo had come…right near to where Joey was hidden. '_Oh shit! Gotta hide'. _Joey thought as he frantically turned around to leave the school until he felt an arm grab his wrist.

"Puppy," Kaiba said as he grabbed Joey's wrist and turned him around. He was pained by the panic look before it relaxed.

"Oh, hey Kaiba," he said freeing his wrist. '_Think, think.'_

"How much did you hear or see between Leo and me?" _'That'll do.'_ Joey thought after Seto asked that question.

"Everythin'. I saw everythin' that went on and I heard everythin' as well. I just wanna say one thing about those photos. Where in hell did he get those pictures?!?!" Joey yelled at the end in complete embarrassment with his face bright red.

"You know where you were at and when he took those pictures?"

"Musta been Saturday. Yuge, Ryou, Serentiy, and I always have sleepovers at Yuge man's house. We fell asleep around one in da mornin'," he said thinking about it. Joey's eyes suddenly widened and he slapped his forehead, "That crazy lunatic was taken pictures of me and Yuge while we were asleep and he decided to use my pictures as bribe material for ya. He must have those photos of Yugi hanging all over his bedroom walls not ta mention that shrine in the back of his closet."

"He has a shrine?" Kaiba said in surprise and concern.

"Yeah, it's a long story," Joey said before he took a deep breath, "But I didn't come here to talk about Leo's crazy obsession over my best bud," Seto raised and eyebrow before Joey continued, "I wanna talk about our relationship and where it stands for me."

"I'm listening," Kaiba said intrigued at this turn of conversation.

"I'm not a hundred percent sure how I feel about ya yet. To me, our relationship is more in the… grey area. You know, where something could happen but I'm just not ready to go dere yet until I'm sure."

"Okay."

"That doesn't mean I'm goin' ta let ya keep goin' on as before, but I guess…I guess I'm sayin' I'll give ya a chance," he said after much difficulty.

"That's all that counts," Seto said kissing his cheek. He put his hand on Joey's lower back and led him outside. He opened the door to his limo and Joey looked between him and the inside suspiciously.

"I'm not going to molest you, puppy," he said exasperated. "I'm just offering you a ride home." Joey climbed in after. After awhile, Joey eventually fell asleep and his head used Kaiba's shoulder for a pillow. Seto smiled in deep satisfaction and wrapped his arms around Joey. He then placed his head on top of his and whispered into his ear, "It doesn't matter how many photographs I have of you, my puppy. A picture is never as good as the original."

**Dee Bunny: Sorry it was so short but that seemed like an appropriate and good way to leave it off as.**

**MewHanyou: She won't post the next chapter unless she gets at least five reviews for this chapter with a couple ideas. We're keeping it going, but we're running low on good ways to keep the main plots together.**

**Dee Bunny: *shoves cousin over* Also sorry about her. *whisper tone* She's freakin' insane.**

**MewHanyou: I heard that, you know!!!! :P**

**Dee Bunny: *sigh* Oh, Lord here we go again. Please R&R! ~.o**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Outside The Fire

Yami happily worked on a song in his music room with his guitar in hand. Yugi was going to be coming over after he finished his homework and he was bringing Margalo over to introduce her to everyone. That was fine by him; he was wondering when Yugi would introduce the little feathered pixie who brought them together to everyone.

"I can't wait, tonight I'm going to tell Yugi those three little words," Yami whispered to himself as he continued to write down more words for his song, "Those words that are meant to be said when a person really means and feels them and I've never felt so sure in my life." Yami smiled at the finished piece of music and placed the pages on the stand next to him. He strummed a few cords and started to sing.

_**We call them cool**_

_**Those hearts that have no scars to show**_

_**The ones that never do let go**_

_**And risk the tables being turn**_

Yami started on this song after he came home yesterday. He wasn't able to sleep which was happening quite frequently because every time he closed his eyes when he was in bed he saw Yugi sound asleep next to him which caused him the inability to sleep and last night in his insomnia state he decided to write a song to distract himself from his wishful thinking of having his little angel asleep next to him.

_**We call them fools**_

_**Who have to dance within the flame **_

_**Who chance the sorrow and the shame**_

_**That always comes with gettin' burned**_

_**But you've got to be tough **_

_**When consumed by desire**_

_**Cause it's not enough just to **_

_**Stand outside the fire**_

Yami always felt that way since he met Yugi. He felt like a moth attracted to a light of any source. Even though he felt he shouldn't get too close for fear that Yugi wouldn't feel the same, he just couldn't help it. This was the reason why he was willing to take the chance.

_**We call them strong**_

_**Those who can face this world alone**_

_**Who seem to get by on their own**_

_**Those who will never take the fall**_

_**We call them weak**_

_**Who are unable to resist **_

_**The slightest chance that might exist**_

_**And for that forsake it all**_

Yami place his guitar on its stand and just proceed to pace and gracefully dance around the room. Ishizu chose to come in at that particular moment and to her slight amusement saw her young master dancing around the room while singing about his passion for Yugi.

_**They're so hell bent on living**_

_**Walking a wire**_

_**Convinced it's not living if you**_

_**Stand outside the fire**_

Yami was completely oblivious to Ishizu's presence and he just continued to waltz around the room with only Yugi on his mind as he sang about how he felt in his heart.

_**Standing outside the fire**_

_**Standing outside the fire**_

_**Life is not tried it is merely survived**_

_**If you're standing outside the fire**_

_**There's this love that is burning**_

_**Deep in my soul**_

_**Constantly yearning to get out of control**_

_**Wanting to fly higher and higher**_

_**I can't abide standing outside the fire**_

Yami held his hand over his heart at these verses as a gesture of his passion and deep love for Yugi, the only person who was ever able to make him feel special and he knew he could trust and love Yugi for his entire lifetime.

_**Standing outside the fire**_

_**Standing outside the fire**_

_**Life is not tried it is merely survived**_

_**If you're standing outside the fire**_

_**Standing outside the fire**_

_**Standing outside the fire**_

_**Life is not tried it is merely survived**_

_**If you're standing outside the fire**_

Yami smiled after he finished his song and he turned towards the door to get ready to greet his angel when he saw Ishizu standing in the doorway with a smile on her face.

"Ishizu!" Yami said as a blush rose to his face completely, "How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough, young master," she said laughing.

"That didn't really answer my question," he pouted.

"Let me put it another way then," she said as she walked up to him and tilted up his chin, "Long enough to know of your passion for Yugi."

"I can't help it," Yami said with a daydream look on his face and a blush still dusted across his face, "It feels so wonderful just to daydream about being with him for the rest of my life. I even imagine sleeping next to him at night," he said before slapping his hand over his mouth.

"No wonder why you've been having trouble sleeping lately," Ishizu said with another chuckle, "I thought you had been watching horror movies right before going to sleep again. That always ended up with something terribly damaged though." She spoke the truth. One night when Yami was ten years old, he had watched _Rose Red _right before going to sleep that night and the next morning she came up to see him with dark bags under his eyes and the lamp that was once on his nightstand in pieces on the floor next to his bed.

"Then what results did you get from my fantasies?" Yami said trying his best to stop looking like a blushing fool.

"You are completely on Cloud Nine and in love," she smirked. Before he could say another word, the door opened to see Tea coming in.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything but I thought you wanted to know Yugi's here and you might want to get to him before Marik and Malik completely scare him away with their constant questioning," she said with a smile. Yami went through the door and headed towards the room to save his Yugi from the couple who needed to learn about personal space.

***

"She's so sweet," Marik said sitting in the middle of Yugi and Malik with Malik's arms around his shoulders as he gently stroked Margalo.

"Don't you think so?" he asked with a smile as he looked at Margalo who loved the gentle strokes.

"Yeah but back to our questions," Malik said with a smirk, "You don't seem to cringe at all when around homosexual couples," he gave Marik a kiss and nip on the neck after he said that causing Marik to give a yip and a blush, "Why is that?"

"I believe that love is something that shouldn't be limited by gender. Love is love so why make a big deal about if a guy loves another guy, if a girl loves another girl, or if a person loves both women and men?" Yugi explained to both of them.

"Oh, he's cute, nonjudgmental, and he's bisexual," Marik said with a smile as he gently pinched Yugi's cheek, "No wonder why Yami likes you so much." Yugi's cheeks became tomato red and he jerked out of the grip. Luckily, he was saved from answering by Ishizu entering the room right before a slightly agitated Yami. You wouldn't be able to tell if you didn't know. But Yugi knew he was by the way his eyes were darkened and he tugged on the ends of his sleeves.

"Are you two going to keep asking Yugi questions and scare him away or are you two going to get back to work?" This caused Yugi to give a smile and laugh which caused Yami to smile and straighten himself up as he remembered what he was going to tell Yugi that night.

"Oh, it's our break and I know just how to spend it," Malik said with a mischievous grin as he hefted Marik off of the couch bridal style and ran up the stairs to their bedroom.

"Malik, what have I told you about doing this in front of other people?!?!" They heard Marik yell before they heard the door slam. Three sweatdrops appeared.

"Well, I've got things to do and people to see. I'll see you both later," Ishizu said as she exited gracefully.

"Do they always act like that?" Yugi asked as he walked up to him with Margolo.

"Unfortunately, Malik has trouble resisting Marik even in public. Luckily, I had their room sound proofed so that they wouldn't disturb anyone," Yami said with a sigh as he gentle stroked Margalo who was deeply enjoying all the extra attention she was getting today. Except for that night when she took flight and ended up bringing Yami and Yugi together, she had never seen the world outside of the pet shop she grew up in and Yugi's room. If she had known that Yugi would meet these kinds of people who so generously handed out affection, then she would have flown out of Yugi's window a whole lot sooner.

"I'm just glad you look a little happier now. You seemed kind of depressed earlier," Yugi said with concern lacing his voice.

"That's so like you. More concerned about others than yourself," he said flashing a smirk at a blushing Yugi. He pecked him on the cheek. "Might I also say, that blush looks lovely on you."

"Where did you learn to be so charming?" Yami felt giddy and lightheaded about that compliment and a smile couldn't help but surface itself on his face.

_'Now I know I love you,'_ Yami thought as gently pulled Yugi towards him and gave him a full on passionate lip lock. He pulled away and his smile became even wider at Yugi's ever so adorable blush, "It took years of practice and the right situation to put it into effect."

"So what were we going to do today?" Yugi asked trying to take his mind off the kiss and force his blush away. Only the latter was working.

"I actually wanted to show and give something to you," Yami said with a smile as he grabbed Yugi's hand and led him up the stairs. They walked down the hall until they reached a white peach wood door. Yami clutched Yugi's hand a little tighter and opened the door. Yugi gasped in amazement at the beautiful room which consisted of a king size bed with lavender colored sheets and pillows placed along with rose red pillows and blankets, a black nightstand next to the bed, a white gold trimmed dresser, a vanity desk made to match the dresser, and on the nightstand was a photo of an Egyptian man and woman who looked to be about in their early to mid twenties. Yugi picked up the photo to examine it more closely.

"Are these your parents?" he asked as he gently ran his fingers across the photo.

"Yes, they are. That was when they first met," Yami said with a smile as he opened a drawer of the dresser and pulled out a gold box. He opened it and pulled something out that Yugi didn't quite see, "This was their room. I had it saved just the way it was for when it was my turn to be with someone." Yami sat down on the bed and patted the space next to him. Yugi placed the photo back on the nightstand and sat down next to Yami.

"Yugi, I know I only met you for about a week but it feels longer. Before I met you, I always felt really lonely. I had everyone in the mansion to keep me company especially after my parents passed away and Seto and Mokuba visited me whenever they got the chance to but I still felt that I needed something else in my life and it turned out I was missing someone to love who could love me back in a way no one else here could. However, I knew most women or men I met who shared my sexuality only loved me because I was famous and good looking. They only loved me for who they thought I was, not for who I really was," Yami explained when he suddenly smiled at Yugi and put his hand on Yugi's, "But then, thanks to that little one," he pointed to Margolo who was in a deep sleep nestled in Yugi's hair, "I met you and you're sweet, kind, smart, funny, and beautiful and I can't help but feel like I'm falling into love with you."

"You just said I'm beautiful," Yugi said with a deep blush on his cheeks as he looked down for a minute. Yami took that opportune moment to slip what looked to be an upside down gold pyramid with a strange looking eye on it around Yugi's neck on a thick steel chain. Yugi looked at the pyramid and saw that Yami wore another one like it around his neck.

"I did and what I just put around your neck is a copy of the one I'm wearing. It's called the Millennium Puzzle and it's been past down in my family for generations to the oldest or only child in the family when the parents feel that their old enough to be responsible for it. My father had a copy made for my mother to symbolize their unity to each other and when she died, she left the copy to me after she died so that I could give it to the person I fell in love with to symbolize our unity and commitment with each other," he said with another smile as he took both of Yugi's hands into his, "Yugi, You are the first and only person to ever make me feel this way and I want to offer you my heart and my soul for as long as you'll care to have me to love and be with me."

"Now, that was beautiful," Yugi said eyes full of tears before launching himself at Yami. Margalo woke up startled and flew over to a chair and settling down to sleep again but not before watching her master and feeling deep happiness for him. He wrapped his arms around his neck and kissed him. When they parted, he put his face in Yami's neck and muttered 'yes.' Yami felt lighter then air and with a smile he gently kissed away his tears of happiness as he held him tight, never wanting to let go again. What neither of them noticed as they held each other tightly was that Yami left the door open and staring inside with a smile on her face, Ishizu walked down the stairs before whispering this line while rubbing her necklace.

"Love in its truest form. Everything is falling into place."

***

Yugi was practically elated when he got home after Yami drove him home. His mother and Grandpa didn't even have to ask him why he was so happy as he bounced towards his room. But the look disappeared into one of horror when he saw on his bedroom window a red gummed heart with a note right under it.

_**Yugi,**_

_**Don't forget who you **__**really**__** belong to.**_

"Leo," Yugi said before he felt a hand on his shoulder. He jumped back slightly until he saw who was behind him, "Yami, he was here. That's his handwriting, I'd know it anywhere," Yugi said as he threw his arms around Yami while shaking in fear. Yami held him tightly while he narrowed his eyes at the evidence of Leo's stalking and jealousy.

"I'm going to have some of my best men go undercover at your school to protect you and your friends. Apparently he had photos of Joey and tried to convince Seto to make you go out with him in exchange for them. Nothing is going to happen to you."

"What about you?"

"I'm going to be at my house like usual. Do not worry little angel, I will be fine."

"Will you stay here? With me?" Yugi whispered into Yami's shirt. Yami stilled surprised but then smiled brightly tightening his grip on Yugi.

"If that is what you wish."

"I do," he said finally looking at Yami's beaming face. Yami let Yugi go so he could change into his pajamas as Yami peeled off his shirt and the black choker around his neck before he removed his Millennium Puzzle and placed them on Yugi's nightstand. He looked at the heart and note and quickly tore them off the window.

"This'll come in handy," he said as slid them into his jacket pocket right before Yugi came in wearing his starry pajamas. He gently smiled as he lay down with Yugi on his bed while giving him a few good night kisses before Yugi finally fell asleep. Yami was still half awake as he smiled, kissed Yugi on the cheek, and leaned towards his ear.

"I have one more surprise but that can wait until tomorrow morning," he whispered before he fell asleep with his head on Yugi's.

**Dee Bunny: Hey people, got over my writer's block! =D Hope you liked this chapter, I got the idea of the heart on the window from a thriller novel I read called **_**Be Mine**_**by Jane McFann. It's a really good one. If you have the means I recommend picking it up at your local library or bookstore. Please R&R! ;D**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Play With Fire

Yugi woke up to find Yami gone but a note and a rose on his table. He smiled at the rose and opened the note.

_**My Little Angel,**_

_**I'm sorry that I left before I could kiss you good morning, but I just wanted to make sure that everything was ready to help out with the Leo problem. I'll see you later, promise.**_

_**Love you XO,**_

_**Yami**_

_**P.S.: There'll be a surprise for you at school just don't look in the most expected places. You'll see what it is.**_

Yugi was a little curious about the surprise could be, but had to get dressed to make it in time for school. There was only about 20 minutes left before he had to actually be in class. Throwing his uniform on hurriedly, he snatched a pop-tart from the kitchen and rushed out with his bag, running the whole way to school making it five minutes before the bell. He looked up shocked to see the substitute teacher for homeroom turned out to be Mai. She winked at him when no one was looking and continued looking over the instructions their previous teacher left her.

"Hello everyone, I'm Mai Valentine your new substitute teacher. I have the pleasure of introducing three new students to our class," she explained just as the classroom door opened. Yugi's jaw dropped as he recognized one of the three new boys who just walked in.

"Everyone I want you to meet Tristan Taylor, Duke Deviln, and last but not least Yami Atem." All of the girls in the room suddenly screamed at the good looking young men. Yami sighed and shook his head at the girls in his class but he threw a smile when he saw Yugi in the room, "I want all of you to make sure to give all of them a very warm welcome and make them feel at home. Now, if you three will please take a seat anywhere so we can begin class." Yami walked towards the empty seat next to Yugi but not before brushing his hand across his.

"This was your surprise?" Yugi asked with a blush before Yami nodded his head in response as he took his seat with a smile.

"I can keep an eye on Leo if I'm here and I get to be with you," he explained as he brushed his hand over Yugi's again, "This way I can kill two birds with one stone."

"I think Margalo would take offense to that," Yugi teased.

"Mr. Moto, Mr. Atem if you two would quiet down please. If you don't heed my warning, you two will be staying after school for detention." The class looked at her shocked that she'd give a detention to sweet, innocent Yugi. Sure, he was an outcast and they never hung around him but everyone knew that he would never hurt someone intentionally and that he was too innocent to do anything wrong. Yugi blushed and stopped as Yami shook his head with an inaudible chuckle before paying attention to the lesson at hand. When class was over, Yugi was about to gather up all of his things when Yami suddenly took all his books. Yugi looked up at him in confusion.

"I wanted to carry your books for you," Yami said with a smile and a laugh at Yugi's blush.

"So, since you're here to protect me, I'm guessing you're in all my classes."

"Damn right," he teased.

"You'll get to meet Ryou, the one Bakura likes, and see Joey again. Your cousin, Seto, usually hangs at our table for lunch just to see him." Yugi had to admit he was secretly enjoying this. He and Yami headed towards his locker, put the things he wouldn't need away while grabbing the things he would, and when Yami caught sight of Leo coming towards them, Yami swiftly wrapped an arm around Yugi's waist as he turned him around in the process. Yami then looked over his shoulder and smirked at the awe stricken and completely jealous Leo.

"Yami, could you let go, please? Everyone's looking at us," Yugi pointed out with a blush at the many stares and whispers being directed towards them as they walked towards History together.

"Why would I let go?" Yami counter asked with a smile as he gently leaned down to kiss Yugi's cheek, "Might as well let everyone know we're both taken." Yugi's blush started to flame down on his neck as well. They got to History and Yami proceeded to sit next to Yugi with Leo behind them.

Leo felt like his face was on fire and that his head was going to spin. How did that guy even get into the school? Why did he seem to be in every one of Yugi's classes? Leo gripped his pen tightly until ultimately it broke in half. He looked at his hand which was now covered completely in ink. He grinned before turning it into an 'innocent' look and tapping Yugi on the shoulder. Yugi rolled his eyes before turning around.

"Is there something you needed Leo?" he asked slightly icy. He did interrupt his conversation with Yami.

"My pen broke and I was wondering if you could spare a pen." Yugi just took the one off his desk and dropped it on Leo's.

"Keep it." Leo grinned. Now he had something of Yugi's and he'd keep it for as long as he could.

Yami looked over his shoulder with just his eyes moving and he saw Leo write Yugi's name multiple times in his notebook and when he ran out of pages he just took out a new notebook which he seemed to have done automatically and didn't seem aware that he was doing so. After the bell rang, Leo dropped the first notebook he completed and Yami instantly snatched it off the floor and was lucky enough to see Leo's name written on the front. He quickly put it among his books and continued on with Yugi to their classes which, surprisingly, two of the teachers being Marik and Malik.

Lunch came and they headed for the lunch room. Yugi spotted his table a waved towards Joey, Ryou, and Serenity. They waved back and Yugi took his seat next to Joey with Yami sitting next to him.

"Yugi, Joey told me everything," Serenity said with a smile as she looked at both him and Yami, "I'm glad you found someone."

"Thanks, Serene. I want you to meet Yami."

"Oh, your boyfriend."

"Yeah?" Yami asked/said looking at Yugi who blushed.

"What-?" Yugi started asking Serenity.

"I'm not blind, Yuge."

"No, I know you're not but how did you figure he was already my boyfriend? Cos you said that Joey told you everything and he didn't know or at least not that I know of."

"I may not be blind, but my brother is a different case," she said clearly amused.

"Hey, I resent dat!"

"You mean you represent that?" Ryou slid in slyly.

"Dat too! Wait! What?!" Ryou started cracking up and almost fell out of his seat.

"Hey Yami, what happened? You don't like us anymore?" Everyone looked up to see Bakura, Tristan, and Duke heading towards them.

"Hey guys and no. Yugi already knows you so why should I do introductions?" he teased.

"You've had yet to introduce us to the rest of his friends," Tristan pointed out as he gave Serenity a smile.

"Stay away from my sis," Joey shouted moving in front of her and spreading his arms out to protect her from sight.

"What? What did I do?" Tristan said as he back away slightly.

"You didn't do anything, Tristan," Yugi reassured him, "Joey is just very protective over Serenity."

"At least she has a sibling to protect her from a guy who wants a piece of her," Ryou said when he felt Bakura placed his hand on his thigh and give it a slight squeeze, "Bakura, we've talked about public displays of affection," he said as he shoved his hand off his thigh. The whole group laughed before pulling another table over and connecting them.

"But have you guys seen any sign of Leo in his crazy state?" Yugi asked as he looked around the lunchroom worried.

"I heard him down the hall when I came here complaining that Yami shouldn't even be here. But other than that, the only other talk I've heard are about you two," Duke said with a smirk as he pointed at them.

"What do you mean?" Yugi asked with a blush while Yami looked rather amused.

"I think you know what he means," Tristan said still looking curiously at Serenity.

"You guys have just been named the school's most surprising couple," Seto said as he settled into a chair next to Joey. He leaned back so that his chair was tipped and put a hand on the back of Joey's chair so he wouldn't fall over.

"Yeah, a bunch o' kids were talkin' 'bout it in study hall. You two are now da talk o' school."

"Great," Yugi replied sarcastically before shooting his head forward landing on the table where he decided to stay.

"I did say I wanted everyone to know that we were both already taken," Yami said with a smile as he rubbed Yugi's neck.

"Glad to know your plan worked!" Yugi replied sarcastically. "Though this is a good way to get it through Leo's head," he added thoughtfully.

"Yuge, he is so hard headed, I highly doubt anything can get to him," Joey responded before he felt Kaiba's chin on his shoulder.

"I take it that there's been a development in your relationship," Yami pointed out with a smirk playing across his lips. This caused Joey to blush which became even deeper when he felt to arms wrap around his waist.

"I'm givin' him a chance but I'm not planin' on goin' too far anytime soon," Joey explained with his face a complete shade of scarlet as he tried to squirm out of Seto's hold on his waist. Seto then proceeded to pull Joey into his lap with his hold still tight on his waist.

"That's to stop you from squirming," Kaiba said before he reanalyzed their position and smirked, "But if you choose to continue to in this position," he leaned his face into Joey's neck and nibbled it suggestively, "I wouldn't mind one bit."

"Dat's it! See ya in class, Yuges!" Joey yelled as he ran out of the cafeteria closely followed by Seto Kaiba.

"Well, we'll find out what happens later," Yugi said in the silence that had ensued.

***

"Joey, what did you do that to Kiaba for?" Yugi asked when he sat next to Joey, who managed to get away from Seto, in their Literature class, "Didn't you see how hurt he looked?"

"Hey, if Kaiba really does want me then he's gotta learn da hard way that I want some respect from him and that I'm not some random toy he plays with for mere pleasure! It's a little thing called tough love and I'm stickin' to it!" Joey nearly shouted in frustration as he got out his notebook.

"Joey, I don't think Kaiba does it just because he _wants_ to. I think he does it because he feels he _has _to," Yugi responded after he got ready for class.

"What do ya mean?"

"Well, you're obviously a very important person to Kaiba so he tries to do what he thinks he has to do in order to keep you as a main part of his life and there's a strong possibility that he acts like a …."

"A rich over sexed pervert," Joey filled in.

"That is a very strong statement," Yugi said before mumbling, "Accurate but strong. But he may act that way because his need to have you in his life is possibly telling his sexual drive that if he goes far enough with you or as far as you'll allow him to go without over reacting then you'll want to stay with him and never leave him for anyone else."

"Why can't he just trust me? Is there something about me that says I'm unfaithful to people who I'm close to?" Joey sighed as Yami came in and took the seat.

"My cousin has a tendency to not trust people, especially those he loves, with never leaving him. He's going out of his way to make sure you never have a reason to leave him," Yami explained before landing a kiss on Yugi's cheek causing him to blush.

"The more he does, the more I want to run," Joey responded before the other students came in. Leo just happened to have been in the same class and he sat behind Yugi and watched him carefully. The tables sat three and Joey was squished between Yami and Yugi. Yami looked over his shoulder at Leo and turned to Joey.

"Hey Joe, would you mind if I switched seats with you?" Joey saw Kaiba coming into the classroom and instantly sat in the seat next Yami which could only be confirmed that he heard the question. Joey looked at Yami with wide eyes until Yami tilted his head towards Leo and Joey instantly went into a state of conflicting thoughts until he sighed and stood up.

"You owe me," Joey said as he switched seats with Yami as he slid his stuff from where Yami sat to in front of himself. Once Yami sat down, he placed a gentle hand on Yugi's back.

"Don't look behind you, Yugi. Just watch the lesson and, when need be, only pay attention to me, okay?" he whispered into Yugi's ear causing him to shiver in pleasure.

"As if I could focus on anything else," he whispered in return before his usual teacher came in. Yami smirked. This was going to be fun.

***

The rest of the day involved Yami sitting next to Yugi in all of his classes, Yugi blushing constantly whenever Yami got the chance to show any sign of affection associated with relationships, people staring at them as they passed by them in the halls, and Leo glaring at Yami every time he came into his line of vision, as well as a little incident in chemistry class. Needless to say, Yugi was glad that the day was over and that he and Yami were going over to Yugi's house to do their homework together and have dinner with his family.

"Are you okay, angel? You seem kind of tense," Yami observed after they got into his Mercedes.

"I'm not used to people looking at me the way they did when I was with you but other than that everything is just fine," Yugi said with a sigh as he got into the passenger seat.

"I admit that it was a fracture on my part but," Yami claimed with a smile before leaning into Yugi's neck and giving it a gentle kiss, "I must also admit that I enjoyed every moment of it."

"I did too," Yugi admitted much to Yami's delight.

"I'm glad. I never want to repeat doing something that you never would enjoy," Yami announced as he started up his car and drove off towards the Game Shop. They both sat in a comfortable silence with Yami driving one-handed, his other holding Yugi's left. Yami pulled into the drive and walked in with Yugi into the shop past his Grandpa at the counter.

"Yami and I will be doing our homework just upstairs, Grandpa," Yugi informed him as they climbed the staircase into the living room. Yami informed Grandpa about his plan along with Yugi's mother and the good old man supported it all the way.

"I'll bring up your snacks," he called back.

"Thanks, Gramps," he yelled before he disappeared off the top most step and into his room. Yami was lounged comfortably on Yugi's bed with his backpack opened right next to him. Yugi walked over to the desk to do his homework when he felt a tug on his bag and he fell into Yami's lap as Yami proceeded to lay Yugi's head on his chest and leaned his head to kiss Yugi's ear a little.

"We said we'd do our homework together," he whispered.

"We will. Just give me a minute," he pleaded.

"A minute as in '60 seconds' minute or a minute as in 'back in an hour' minute," Yami chuckled as he moved his head towards Yugi's neck and nibbled it a little. They both jumped at the knock on the door. Yugi scrambled away and opened the door for Grandpa who set the snacks on the desk and left closing the door behind him. They both blinked then grinned.

"Why do I get the feeling you need to control yourself?" Yugi smirked at Yami. Yami grinned at Yugi's mischief. He was sweet, but could sometimes be a troublemaker when he wanted to.

"I only allow myself control when I feel that it's needed. Now," he expressed as he sat up on the bed and patted his lap, "Let's get through our homework so we can actually have time for each other, hm?" He raised his eyebrow and chuckled when Yugi instantly blushed.

"I bet you couldn't go an hour, let alone a day without me."

"That is not a bet I'm willing to try," Yami said confirming Yugi's suspicion. Yugi blushed but smiled none the less because for once he found someone he was willing to spend the rest of his life with who would stay with him but wouldn't constantly hover and cling. He sat on Yami's lap and started his homework with him and soon after he yawned tiredly and blinked a couple times to stay awake so that he would eventually get up to let Yami go home.

"You can go to sleep, angel. I don't think everyone would mind if I stayed here one more night," Yami whispered gently as he stroked Yugi's head which caused him to become even drowsier.

"But…you…need…home," he mumbled before falling asleep against Yami. Yami blinked then smiled softly moving Yugi so still against him was actually laying on the bed.

"I'm not about to leave you, my love. I'll always be at your side to protect, love, and care for you. That's why I want to ask your mother and grandfather something very important so I can make sure Leo never comes near you outside of school again," he whispered as he leaned his head on Yugi's and held him closer. He sighed before drifting to sleep as well.

***

A little while later, Yugi was still asleep but Yami was awake, sitting up on Yugi's bed next to him, and talking to his staff on his cell.

"What did you guys find out?" he asked seriously as he stroked Yugi's hair.

_**"It was a little hard to find out anything in my department because a certain someone kept trying to lure me away during lunch to the back of the school to perform some very inappropriate acts," **_Marik explained with an aggravated tone to his voice.

"Let me talk to Malik," Yami said with a little frustration in his voice. He heard the muffle call for Malik and heard the phone being passed.

_**"Yes?"**_

"I thought we were clear that you wouldn't mix business with pleasure. Especially when it concerns my Yugi's safety," he reminded him while keeping his anger under control as he continued to stroke his little love's hair.

_**"Sorry boss!"**_

"I'd hope so," he said trying to keep his voice low to not wake up his love.

_**"Well, in my section, he fell asleep during my class. Along side from muttering Yugi's name repeatedly, I heard him moan a couple of times, so you probably see where this is going."**_ Yami shivered in disgust at the implication.

"Get the others and past the phone around. I want to see what they found out and, hopefully, form a solid plan of action." There was shuffling as people were being called into the room and the phone passed around.

_**"Boss?"**_

__"Ah, Bakura. Do you have any news for me?"

_**"Apparently, Leo isn't only very apt in baseball but is very good at photography. I saw a few shots of Yugi inside of his locker once I got into the school files and found his locker combo. They were everywhere. I swear it was like wallpaper for his locker."**_

__"It probably was. If he's as good as you say, he could have made it himself," he added in agreement. He then heard a conversation through the phone.

_**"Mai wants to talk to you. Okay! Okay! Don't push!" **_Bakura yelled from the other side of the phone.

"Mai, would you learn some fucking manners already?" he asked rubbing the bridge of his nose.

_**"Hey, I just wanted to tell you what I found out when he was in my class. I gave them a quiz on the chapter they read last night and after he finished I saw him immediately pull out a notebook and started to write something. I got suspicious so I got up and started to walk around as if I was looking at the other students quizzes before I took a quick look at his notebook. He was writing down some sort of list and some of the things on that list were handcuffs, a hotel room key, liquid Benadryl, and you don't want to know what else," **_Mai recalled with a tone of disgust in her voice.

"Sometimes almost like something you would do," he replied dryly.

_**"Ha ha! Don't make me laugh,"**_ she said bitterly. Yami smirked.

"You just did."

_**"Keep talking. Just remember that the list is meant for what he'll do to Yugi if we're not careful."**_

__"Mai, I know, but I'm already making extra precautions for him. Tell everyone good night." He hung up before she could reply. He looked down at his angel, his love and kissed his forehead. "You will be safe Yugi, even if I have to give up my own safety in the process."

**Dee Bunny: What is Yami's plan that he wants to run by Yugi's family? How is it going to help with the Leo problem? Stay tuned and please R&R.**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: A Safe Haven

**Dee Bunny: I thank TIGGI1 for the idea for this chapter.**

"I hope that you two are okay with this. I feel that it's the best way to protect Yugi," Yami explained with held breath. Yugi's mother and Grandpa were considering Yami's plan for protecting Yugi better.

"I'm not sure, Yami. I know Yugi needs the best protection in the world but at the same time I'm not sure if living with you is the way to gain it," Yugi's mom replied with a frown.

"I have high tech security, bodyguards, and it's almost deserted around my neck of the woods." _Literally. _"You can see him anytime you want, he'll still continue his education, or maybe you could home school him there if you want, and you guys could live there too. If not, you are invited to come at any time," he stated hopefully.

"I think that it's a good idea. Yugi will be protected, we can see him as much as we wish, he'll be able to continue school, and he'll be around someone else he loves," Grandpa agreed as he drank some more of his tea. Yami blushed.

"I know all that but I get this feeling that Leo may be able to find ways around Yami's security because I met his mother at a parent teacher conference the other night and she told me how Leo is very skilled with photography and computers. I just worry that he might find loop holes in your system. I'm really not trying to insult you; I'm just being a mother."

"I know the feeling," he said remembering how protective his mother used to be.

"So, you can imagine my worry. I just want Yugi to be safe and I know that with you he'll get the safety he needs, I'm just afraid that Leo will take advantage of the fact that you never leave Yugi's side and that he never leaves yours."

"Yet again, you can stay there with us as an extra precaution and to dampen your worry. He'd probably be more comfortable if he was surrounded people that he knew and loved, anyways."

"If I was there I won't have anything to do. I'm so used to being a housewife that I couldn't stand to have to sit back and watch other people do the work that I'm used to doing. Especially all the things I do for Yugi and Yugi's so used to being around the shop, I'm afraid that it may be hard for him to get used to not being around it and his grandfather is so used to owning it so it may be hard for him to give it up."

"Who said anything about giving up the shop?" he asked confused. "We can keep it, but you would just sleep there, like a place to crash. We'd have dinner there, but you could order out if need be or you're here and can't leave."

"I'm just saying that it would be hard to settle into a routine. We've lived this way for a long time and it would be hard to get used to the change. Besides, we're not the ones in need of protection."

"You may be. Leo's a dangerous person and obsessing over Yugi. If he's driven to it, he may just go after the ones Yugi loves to get him to go to him." Yugi's mother sighed and placed her head in her hand.

"Oh, God. I know that. You don't know how much I wanted to tell his mother but when she talked about how wonderful her son is and how despite being gay he always made her happy and proud, my mind instantly flashed towards how Yugi always made me feel and I could connect with her on that level. So you see, I couldn't tell her." Yami sighed in defeat before nodding.

"I understand. My mother was the same way with me. I was never chased by a crazed stalker mind you but you get what I'm saying. But as I said before I can protect Yugi better if I'm always with him and if I'm there to protect him." It was Mrs. Moto's turn to sigh before she smiled.

"You're right. Yugi needs someone who can protect him better than either of us can. I give you my blessing to have Yugi move in with you and we'll come to visit as often as we can. We should talk to Yugi about this before we make any final decisions, though."

"Of course. I don't want to do anything against his will. I only want him to be happy."

"So do we," Grandpa Moto said as Yugi's mother started to tear up again.

"My boy is growing up isn't he?" she asked with a sad smile as she wiped a tear from her cheek.

"Yes, he is," Yami responded as he handed her a tissue.

"Where was I?" she said with a small laugh as she wiped her eyes.

"Waiting for Yugi to come home so we can ask him if he wants to move."

"Move?" a small voice asked. They all turned to see Yugi standing there shocked.

"No, no little one," Yami said approaching him slowly as if prey that would easily get spooked. "Just moving into my house to keep you safe. The shop would remain and your family would still run it, but you'd be living at my house. Your mother and grandfather could visit whenever they want, or even live there themselves. The decision is up to you, but this plan is just to keep you close and protected from Leo."

"I'll-I'll have to think about it," he stammered nervously stumbling up the hallway. Yami made to follow him, but Yugi's mother grabbed his arm and stopped him with a look. Instead, she linked arms with him and took him into the kitchen for a homemade cinnamon bun with tea.

"Yugi just needs time alone to think. Place yourself in his shoes and think about how he feels right now. If he chooses not to go, he'll feel like he's betrayed you and he'll lack the protection he needs; but, if he does choose to go, he'll be safe and secure with you, the man he loves, but he'll be away from his family, the shop, and everything he's grown up with."

"He won't," he said slightly aggravated. "That's what I've been trying to explain to everybody these past fifteen minutes."

"Everybody feels and deals with things differently than other people, Yami. Even though you say Yugi won't be away from the shop and us, he's so used to being here and seeing us every hour of every day that he'll feel slightly lonely and even though you say we won't have to worry about managing the shop if we choose to live with you and Yugi, I'll miss being home where I feel I have a purpose and it will be hard for Grandpa to make the commute in a way where he feels that he's not losing his pride," Yugi's mother smiled a little at that, "My father-in-law is a very stubborn and independent man. He feels that despite his old age, he is capable of handling himself and the commute from your home to the shop would be hard on him even though he himself wouldn't admit it. Another example is that Yugi will feel like he's betrayed you if he says no about moving in with you but you'll feel that he's made the decision that will make him happy. Yugi is a very sensitive soul and he feels that every important decision he makes always influences the people he loves and he often has a hard time coming up with a decision he feels will help keep balance on both sides. This is why he's so attached to the shop because he feels that it's a special place where he can make those decisions without any outside problems. It's his safe haven of sorts."

"Safe haven?" Yami asked a little confused.

"We all need a place to go whenever our emotions are about to push us over the edge or when we just need time to think. I call those special places our safe havens. Ryou does all his best thinking at that little coffee shop he goes to, Joey's safe haven is the beach at night, Serenity's is the park on a bench next to the fountain, mine just happens to be here in the kitchen where I always have something on hand to do, and Grandpa's is his own bedroom with all of his old research and Egyptology books from back when he was an archeologist," she explained, "Even you have a safe haven, Yami. Yugi told me that you do all of your best thinking and decision making in your music room where you can be alone and away from the stress of the outside world so you have time to think and get your feelings in order. That's what the game shop is to Yugi." Yami nodded in agreement.

"He talks about me?" he asked after realizing only Yugi could have known that or his own blood relatives.

"Oh yes, he talks about you all the time," Mrs. Moto said with a smile as she remembered, "He always gets this far off look whenever he talks about you and he gets this tone to his voice that tells us just how much he loves you. Sometimes I have to snap him out of his trance just to get him to talk about something else." Yami smirked as to how he could tease Yugi about this.

"I'm not even going to ask what that's about," she said shaking her head at Yami's mischievous smirk.

"Just some playful and harmless teasing material for sweet Yugi I came up with," he tells her, "But I think I understand what you meant by this place being Yugi's safe haven. It's a place where he feels out of danger and is given time to think about things he needs to think about and a place where he can sort out his emotions."

"I'm glad that you understand a little better now, Yami," Mrs. Moto announced with a smile, "The shop will always have a place in Yugi's heart just like he'll always have a spot in his heart for you." This caused him to blush before he blocked it by taking a gulp of his tea.

"I'm glad that I have a place in his heart and no matter where he decides to live he'll always have a place in mine," Yami told her reassuring both himself and Yugi's mother.

"That's good since…" They both turned surprised to see Yugi standing in the doorway with his grandfather standing right behind him grinning.

"I've come to a decision," Yugi let out with a deep breath. The two stood in the kitchen tense, waiting for him to tell them his answer. Yugi walked to the table and ripped a piece of cinnamon roll to stuff into his mouth. Yami's action came as if first nature. He used his thumb to wipe the icing away from the corner of Yugi's lips before licking it off his thumb. Yugi grinned and then looked at his mom. She nodded as if she knew his decision. Yami became irritated and annoyed at him being the only one out of the loop.

"Yugi, what is your decision?" Yami asked as he got even more impatient about not knowing about his pretty little lover's choice.

"It took a while and a _**lot**_ of thinking but I've decided," Yami held his breath and closed his eyes at this part, "I'll move in with you." Yami stood shocked and then grinned before gathering Yugi up in a hug and twirling him around in a circle happily. Now, he'd be with his aibou most of the time and able to learn all there is to learn about him.

"I'm glad, love. I would have loved you none the less if you chose to stay with your family because I understand why you'd want to stay here but I'm happy that I'll get to be around you as much as I want," Yami told him as he held him closer. Yugi was content that he made Yami happy.

"I'm happy that you're happy about my decision, Yami. I wanted to find a situation that worked out for the both of us." Yugi's mom and grandpa quietly slipped out of the kitchen giving them some alone time.

"I promise that I'll never let any harm come to you, my light. I'll do everything in my power just so you can live a good and safe life with me," Yami promised as he leaned down and butterfly kissed Yugi's face from his forehead to his cheeks.

"I know," he said resting his head in Yami's neck and taking a deep breath of Yami's scent.

"I hope that we can be happy together and you don't have to worry," Yami whispered to him with a smile as he leaned his own head into Yugi's neck and kissed it, "I won't use the fact that you'll be living with me to force you into anything you're not ready for, just so you know."

"Duh!" he said snorting causing Yami's chest to rumble with laughter shocking Yugi's nerves nicely.

"I love it when you're blunt, my little one. I just love you," he murmured to him before leaning in to kiss him lovingly. Yugi's heart pounded so much, that he couldn't hear over the roar that it created in his ears, but he sure could feel: trapped in Yami's warm embrace, his soft full lips, and the way his hands tightened as if he never wanted to let Yugi go. Yami pulled away and gently leaned his forehead against Yugi's with a smile.

"When do you think I'll be able to come home with you?" Yugi asked with a blush.

"Now if you want," he said grinning, "unless you want to pack and move in when we move your stuff."

"I think we'll sleep here, to spend one more night here. Then, we can make the move right away in the morning."

"We?" he asked appreciatively causing Yugi to blush.

"I'd hoped you'd stay with me again tonight."

"I'd like that." He nudged Yugi's chin up and kissed him again. He tangled one hand in Yugi's hair, so like his own, but unique in its own way. He pulled away from Yugi slightly with a smile on his face, "I think we should start packing or else we'll never be ready for the move tomorrow."

"Why do you say thaaaaat?" he cried before Yami picked him up and carried him to his room.

"We need to sleep, you'll want to cook breakfast, and I plan to have a little time alone with you tomorrow." Yugi blushed at that as Yami laid his little love on his side of the bed before he climbed in himself.

"I think I know how Ryou feels when it comes to having a man who wants me all to himself. No offense," Yugi comments as his blush got even deeper.

"None taken," he said flashing a totally mischievous grin.

"I don't mind the fact that you want to be with me all the time though," Yugi added with a smile as the blush on his face toned down a little as he snuggled close to Yami, "It makes me feel safe and loved."

"I will always love you, aibou," Yami whispered to Yugi kissing his forehead. He started humming an old Egyptian lullaby to sweep Yugi into sleep. He got up slowly when he was sure that Yugi was unconscious. He used a box that he had brought over just in case to start putting Yugi's clothes in. He worked silently as Yugi slept away. He noticed in Yugi's trash can multiple notes on emerald green stationary which he instantly knew had to be notes from Leo, he noticed the one on top had his name written in it. He quickly grabbed it and read it to himself.

_Yugi,_

_When will you stop playing these games and just come to me? Can't you see that Yami doesn't deserve you and that I'm the only one who can make you really happy? He has nothing compared to what I have to offer you and you'll always be mine no matter what. I promise that we will be together and nothing will stop me from being with you._

_Forever Yours,_

_Leo_

Yami glared at the note and he was about to rip it when he remembered that he needed to keep it so that he could have evidence against Leo so he folded it up and placed it into his pocket.

"You won't lay a finger on Yugi, Mr. Madison. I'll make sure of it," Yami whispered as he went back to packing Yugi's stuff before he looked back towards Yugi as if to confirm that he was still there. He glanced out the window too, just in case. He looked at his little angel once more, "Yugi, I promise you that even if I have to die in the process, you'll be safe from Leo. I love you and I'll do my best to create a safe haven that is worthy of someone like you."

**Dee Bunny: I thank TIGGI1 again for the idea for this chapter and this is for the fan who said they would steal my soul and they would die if I didn't add soon. Please R&R. :-)**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Making Changes

Yugi had just finished packing up with Yami's help to move in with him. After a tearful good bye with his mother and grandfather he got into Yami's car and waved good bye again as they drove off.

"Yugi, love, are you okay?" Yami asked as he watched Yugi stare out the window before looking at Margalo in her cage on his lap and having a sudden regret for taking Yugi away from his family.

"Yeah, Yami, I'm okay. I just can't believe I'm going to be living with you. It's still just starting to sink in. I feel like I'm dreaming," Yugi told him with a smile and a blush. Yami's grin was slow to spread but wide and sincere.

"I know you'll do just fine living there," he reassured Yami.

"I hope so," he replied with a sigh and a wistful look.

"Trust me, angel, I'll make sure you'll be comfortable living with me and everyone else. I've already called them to tell them the good news so they should be getting ready for your arrival," he told him as he quickly leaned over to kiss his forehead and wrap an arm around his shoulder while keeping his other hand on a steering wheel.

"Watch the road!" Yugi yelled seeing Yami's attention on him instead. His answer was a chuckle, but the car kept going. When Yugi cracked open his eyes, Yami had turned towards the road again, thankfully.

"You worry too much, my little love," Yami claimed with another chuckle causing Yugi to blush and glare at him slightly.

"I just don't want our love to end too soon in a way where our lives are involved," Yugi sent back with the glare gone but the blush still visible.

"I swore I would take care of you, love. I'm not about to do anything to keep me from that promise," Yami proclaimed as he held him tighter as he kept driving. They finally made it to the mansion where the staff was there to greet Yugi and take his things to his new room.

"Is it okay if I take Margalo to your room, Yugi?" Marik asked with a smile as he looked at the little yellow bird he became so fond of. Yugi smiled at the slightly older sandy haired Egyptian boy and handed him the white cage with the precious little gold bundle inside who chirped happily at the boy who had given her so much attention the day she visited. Marik carried the little bird in and didn't even glance once at his boyfriend who was coming out of the door to help. Malik was shocked and upset which caused him to grab some boxes and glare slightly at Yugi.

"Marik is starting to love that damn bird more than me so keep it away from him as much as possible," he growled as he carried in the boxes without another word.

"Jealous much?" Yugi asked slightly befuddled causing Yami to crack up.

"He got mad when Marik started hanging out with his brother more than him."

"I didn't know Marik had a brother," Yugi replied surprised.

"He volunteered in a 'Big Brother, Little Brother' thing, as well as having an older, adoptive brother."

"Marik was just giving his time to the community and his adoptive brother is his family. Plus, Margalo is my pet bird so he doesn't have to be jealous of any of them," Yugi commented as he carried his suitcase with him inside.

"Try telling Malik that," Yami sighed dramatically, his hand over his eyes.

"Are all the men who live and/or work in this house always so possessive over the people they love?" Yugi asked in all seriousness. Yami chuckled at Yugi's 'no kidding' face.

"Apparently. We just don't like losing what's ours. Jealousy is an easy to come by emotion," he explained, including himself in that category mentally.

"That's true but there isn't any reason for any of you to be jealous if the person is truly faithful to you like how Ryou puts up with Bakura's possessiveness or how I care for you so much," Yugi responded with a smile and a blush.

"Yeah, but it doesn't help if your stalker really doesn't care."

"You don't have to be jealous of him because I won't be with him in a million years," Yugi reassured as he grabbed Yami's hand and squeezed it comfortingly.

"I know you won't, love, but I'm afraid he doesn't," Yami reassured him.

"Well, I'm with you always now and no one can take that away from us," Yugi whispered with a smile as he held Yami's hand even tighter. "Not even Margalo," he teased causing Yami to laugh loudly. His servants all smiled secretly to themselves. It had been a while since their master, and friend, had been this happy.

Yugi got into his new room and began to unpack his boxes. He was in awe at the large area that would from now on be his room. He was fairly sure that everything he owned wouldn't possibly fill the space in the room even Margalo's cage seemed to only take up a minimal space in the corner next to his new bed as she watched him unpack inside her white painted little home.

"Yugi," a soft feminine voice came from behind the door before Tea popped her head in, "Yami wanted me to make sure if you needed any help."

"No, Tea, I'm fine. I've got it all covered."

"Okay. Yami just wants to make sure you get the best treatment while you're here," Tea explained with a smile, "He's going to spoil you to no end, you know that?"

"I thought so," he sighed. "I'm fine though. Thanks for the offer anyway."

"You're welcome and I'll tell Yami not to spoil you too rotten, okay?" she told him with a wink and a smile before leaving the room.

"Thanks, Tea," he called back with a smile as he continued to unpack. An hour or so later he was down to his last few boxes when he suddenly felt two hands on his waist.

"You're almost finished. That's good because I have the whole day planned out for us," a smooth voice whispered in his ear.

"Tease," Yugi joked as he wiggled a little to straighten up.

"You're the one acting like a vixen," Yami replied amused at Yugi's little show.

"Not intentionally, mind you," Yugi claimed with a smile.

"It's okay. I like it when you're confident. It's almost as cute as the shy you."

"You like shy me better than sure of myself me?" Yugi questioned slightly.

"I like you when you're shy better because I like seeing you blush and I like how you always snuggle into my chest whenever you're nervous or embarrassed. Plus, the shy Yugi is the real Yugi to me."

"Both sides are equally a part of me."

"And love each part of you as I'll continue to do so for the rest of my life," Yami announced as he wrapped his arms around Yugi's waist and tilted his head up to kiss him gently.

"You two should really close the door when you're engaging in anything like this," Mai voiced out from the doorway with a smile on her face. "Though I don't mind the show. I just thought that you'd like to know that dinner was ready."

"Thank you, Mai," Yami said with a less than sincere tone to his voice, "We'll be done in a few minutes but until then please leave us to our own business."

"Fine, there's no need to be so snappy," she claimed with a smile and a wink, "Just don't go too far okay." This caused Yugi to blush deeply as he felt Yami hold him tighter and watched as Mai headed back downstairs.

"I've been thinking of firing her," he growled into Yugi's hair.

"You can't fire a friend just because they tease and annoy me," Yugi stated to him in all seriousness but there was a teasing undertone to his voice as well.

"I'm just at my wits end with her," Yami told him with a sigh before smiling at him, "But if you like her that much, I guess I can keep her around for a little longer."

Yugi smiled and leaned up to give Yami a soft and short peck on the lips, "Thank you, Yami."

"You're welcome, love," he answered with a smile as he grabbed Yugi's hand, "Come on. Let's get to dinner before someone else decides to intrude on the moment." He and Yugi began to laugh at this as they headed down to the dining hall to enjoy each others company as well as the company of their new family.

"I can't believe this!" Leo yelled out when he saw Yugi go into Yami's mansion with boxes and suitcase of what Leo could only assume to be Yugi's things, "I can't believe he's moving in with that jerk!"

He gritted his teeth and stormed off towards home, happy his parents weren't there to see him so upset. He didn't want to distress his mother and he really wasn't in the mood to answer any of the question they were bound to ask about his mood.

"I've known Yugi longer then that aroggant, silver spoon fed son of bitch has but Yugi is all over **him** and moving into his house when he should be with me!" he yelled as he slammed the door to his dark room.

He looked at the photos that had been developed and dried. The photos were all of Yugi of course but there were also places in the photos where Yami was in them despite the fact that Leo did his best to avoid getting him in any of the shots. Leo was currently taking these photos and promtely cutting out the parts where Yami was in them.

"That dumbass thinks he's the greatest thing to happen to Yugi since he was born," he growled as he continued to furiously cut the photos one after the other at a pace that would have put a cheetah to shame, "He doesn't know Yugi the way I do. He doesn't know how jumpy Yugi gets during thunderstorms, he doesn't know that Yugi has trouble in biology class, and he definetly doesn't know that Yugi wants nothing more than to have a family with the person he loves the most."

Leo finally got to the last picture and when he did he glared at it as his eyes turned an even darker shade of green. The picture was of Yugi and Yami in a tight embrace with smiles lighting up both of their faces. There was no way he could cut Yami out of the picture without cutting out pieces of Yugi as well. It made him even more infuriated over the fact that he couldn't even enjoy the photos of his Yugi without that homewrecking son of bitch intruding in every single one of them.

"If he thinks I'm going to give up just because Yugi and him live together now, he doesn't have any idea who he's up against," Leo growled out as he slammed the photo on the table, "Yugi Moto, you and I will be together even if it means taking drastic measures to get there," he gently stroked the Yugi in the picture as he said this and gently kissed two of his fingers only to press them back onto the Yugi that was in the photo.

"And as for you, Yami Atemu," then, in a rush of sudden violence, Leo stabbed the part of the photo where Yami was using the scissors. At the same time, he cut his hand due to how tightly he gripped the edges of the scissors causing a few drops of blood to land on the photo. In his current state of madness and rapid downward spiral into insanity, he didn't seem to notice or care that the palm of his hand was bleeding or of the excrutiating pain it was in, "The game isn't over yet."

**AN: I'm back, everybody! Did you miss me?! Sorry I haven't updated in a while. My internet's been on the fritz and I've also been pretty busy too. But don't worry! You'll all be seeing me around more often again. ;)**


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